Seven-year-old struck by hepatitis after eating shellfish on holiday

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl was stricken with a potentially deadly liver virus after eating mussels on holiday.

Kayla McCulloch’s liver swelled to twice its normal size after consuming infected seafood in Spain.

She was hit with hepatitis A, an infection more commonly associated with drug addicts who share needles.

The source has been traced back to a bowl of mussels she had in Majorca.

Mum Elaine said the youngster was desperately ill for weeks after being struck down with the condition.

She also suffered a fever and jaundice-like symptoms, turning their dream break into a nightmare.

The infection was diagnosed by doctors in Glasgow after they arrived back home to Scotland.

“I always thought shellfish was safe and healthy for children,” said mum Elaine, 33, of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire.

“We never dreamt anyone could catch hepatitis from it.”

Eating shellfish contaminated by raw sewage and drinking contaminated water are two common ways of becoming infected.

Symptoms can take up to six weeks to strike.

They typically include loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pains and jaundice, and can last up to six months. There is no cure.

It is uncommon in the UK and more likely to be contracted in nations with poor sanitation.

Dr Mike Jones, an infectious diseases and travel medicine expert, said Majorca was generally considered a low-risk destination for hepatitis A.

But he added: “It has been cropping up intermittently in the past few years in places we did not expect.

“It has been low for years because of immunisation for travellers, but we wouldn’t normally offer immunisation to someone going to Majorca.”

Dr Jones said death rates in adults were very low, and most children made a “very good recovery”.

“Often they don’t turn yellow at all but simply suffer a flu-like illness,” he said.

Kayla’s progress is being closely monitored by paediatricians as she fights to make a full recovery.

“I am relieved and know my princess is going to be better very soon,” said Elaine.

The World Health Organisation estimates around 1.4 million cases of hepatitis A occur worldwide every year.

Unlike other viral hepatitis conditions, the A strain doesn’t cause chronic liver disease, although it can lead to potentially fatal liver failure.

Vaccination is recommended for those travelling to areas with increased hepatitis A risk, such as parts of Africa and India.