Yet in infants with biliary atresia regeneration is defective, and results in cirrhosis, as these infants have disrupted p53 and disrupted GSTPi. p53 and GSTPi are responsible for DNA fidelity at regeneration. Hence, these infants get accelerated cirrhosis and march to portal hypertension. Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by an assessment of history, physical examination in conjunction with blood tests, a liver biopsy, and ultrasound scans imaging and is prompted by prolonged or persistent jaundice, with abnormalities in liver function tests. Ultrasound or other forms of imaging such as radio-isotope liver scans can also be used but final confirmation is usually only reached at the time of exploratory surgery. Differential diagnoses
The differential diagnoses are extensive and include: Alagille syndrome, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, Byler disease (progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis), Caroli disease, choledochal cyst, cholestasis, congenital cytomegalovirus disease, congenital herpes simplex virus infection, congenital rubella, congenital syphilis, congenital toxoplasmosis, cystic fibrosis, galactosemia, idiopathic neonatal hepatitis, lipid storage disorders, neonatal hemochromatosis, and total parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis. Treatment
Most (>95%) infants with biliary atresia will undergo an operation designed to retain and salvage the native liver, restore bile flow, and reduce the level of jaundice. This is known as the Kasai procedure (after Morio Kasai, the Japanese surgeon who first developed the technique) or hepatoportoenterostomy. Although the procedure is not thought of as curative, it may relieve jaundice and stop liver fibrosis, allowing normal growth and development.
WC-rBS (marketed as "Dukoral") is a monovalent inactivated vaccine containing killed whole cells of V. cholerae O1 plus additional recombinant cholera toxin B subunit. BivWC (marketed as "Shanchol" and "mORCVAX") is a bivalent inactivated vaccine containing killed whole cells of V. cholerae O1 and V. cholerae O139. mORCVAX is only available in Vietnam. Bacterial strains of both Inaba and Ogawa serotypes and of El Tor and Classical biotypes are included in the vaccine. Dukoral is taken orally with bicarbonate buffer, which protects the antigens from the gastric acid. The vaccine acts by inducing antibodies against both the bacterial components and CTB. The antibacterial intestinal antibodies prevent the bacteria from attaching to the intestinal wall, thereby impeding colonisation of V. cholerae O1. The anti-toxin intestinal antibodies prevent the cholera toxin from binding to the intestinal mucosal surface, thereby preventing the toxin-mediated diarrhoeal symptoms.A live, attenuated oral vaccine (CVD 103-HgR or Vaxchora), derived from a serogroup O1 classical Inaba strain, was approved by the US FDA in 2016. Injectable
Although rarely in use, the injected cholera vaccines are effective for people living where cholera is common. They offer some degree of protection for up to two years after a single shot, and for three to four years with annual booster. They reduce the risk of death from cholera by 50 percent in the first year after vaccination. Side effects
Both of the available types of oral vaccine are generally safe. Mild abdominal pain or diarrhea may occur. They are safe in pregnancy and in those with poor immune function.