RSPI Calls Adults Potentially Infected With Acute Hepatitis, Washing Hands And Maintaining Hygiene Is The Key To Prevention

Residents wash their hands with clean water in Jakarta (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital (RSPI) Jakarta reminded that adults or the elderly still have the potential to be infected with acute hepatitis.

"From the cases in the world, it occurs in children aged one month to 16 years, but in fact it can affect all ages when it comes to acute hepatitis patients," said Head of the Sulianti Saroso Hospital Infection Prevention and Control Committee, Titi Sundari in a webinar. which was followed in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, May 11.

However, he said, until now cases of acute hepatitis have only been reported in children aged one month to 16 years. "From the cases in the world it occurs in children aged one month to 16 years, but actually it can affect all ages when it comes to acute hepatitis patients," he said.

He said that one of the efforts to avoid the transmission of diseases, including acute hepatitis, was to maintain hand hygiene. People are asked to wash their hands more often with soap and running water.

"The function of soap is to lower the surface tension of the hands so that the attached germs will be easily released," he said.

He asked the public to wash their hands properly, namely washing from the palms of the hands, the backs of the hands, between the fingers, to the tips of the fingers.

"Washing hands is not just by washing water, let alone not using soap. After washing your hands, don't forget to dry them to keep them hygienic," he said.

Apart from soap, he continued, you can also clean your hands with hand sanitizer. Alcohol in hand sanitizer acts as an antiseptic that can kill 90 percent of antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

However, in cases of acute hepatitis, he said, people are advised to wash their hands more often with soap and running water.

The reason, he said, in cases of acute hepatitis is currently suspected of causing one of them is adenovirus, where 70 percent alcohol in hand sanitizer is not effective enough to kill these germs.

"So the WHO guidelines also say that it is better to wash hands with soap and running water," he said.