Monday 3 November 2008

Vietnamese baby suffers new affliction

Zona (photo: SK&DS)

Zona and Hepatitis B, which have never reportedly attacked a baby at the same time, were both discovered in a 6-month-old baby in the southern province of Kien Giang by doctors of the HCM City Medicine University last weekend.

Doctor Hoang Van Minh, Chief of the Dermatology and Venereology Examination Ward of the HCM City Medicine University, said it is very rare to see newborn babies with zona. It is even rarer to see babies with both zona and hepatitis B at the same time – in fact, this is the first recorded case.

The American Academy of Dermatology (ADD) has also confirmed that this is the first baby in the world with both zona and hepatitis B at the same time.

According to Minh, the baby was hospitalised with many vesicles on its hands and body. After taking special medicines for seven days, the zona was cured. However, the baby is now being treated for hepatitis B, which is said to take a long time.

Doctor Minh said the baby was infected with zona in the 3rd month of gestation when its mother caught chicken-box. Normally, zona only breaks out tens of years after the patient is exposed to the virus.

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