1532 Hepatitis a in Pediatric Ward (Experience in the Pediatric Service of CHU of Batna)

Introduction Hepatitis A is a real public health problem worldwide: 273 confirmed cases in Algeria in 2010. She is responsible for 10–30% of hepatitis in adults and 70–90% in children. Objectives To determine the frequency and severity of hepatitis A. Materials and Methods A retrospective study done on the records of patients hospitalized for complicated form of hepatitis A over a period of 02 years (2009–2010). 28 patients hospitalized for complicated forms: signs of liver failure. Results Incidence: 1.15%. Age group affected is between 5–10 years with a female predominance. In Algeria the transmission is the predominant waterborne, mostly occurring in winter. Fever, vomiting and asthenia constitute 68.74% of the reasons for consultation. The average AST, ALT was elevated 100 times normal. Conclusion Hepatitis A is very common in Algeria in connection with a water-borne and the majority of cases are asymptomatic and almost at the age of 18 years 95% of patients develop antibodies.