The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the death of another child amid the global outbreak of hepatitis of unknown cause, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to six. In all, there have been at least 16 deaths from hepatitis worldwide: one in Ireland; six in Indonesia; one in Mexico and one in Palestine, in addition to six in the US, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
According to the center’s latest update, more than 614 cases have been identified in about 30 countries since early April, and the data shows that about 10% of patients required a liver transplant. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health reported that it is monitoring 64 diagnoses with no deaths.
So far, all cases have tested negative for the traditional viruses that cause hepatitis: A, B, C, D, and E. The seriousness of the records, the unknown cause, and the global outbreak are points that have intrigued scientists. Most diagnoses are reported in children under the age of 5, ruling out a link to the Covid19 vaccine as this target group has not yet been considered.
In announcing the new death in the United States, the CDC reiterated that the main hypothesis they are working with is that the cause is adenovirus 41F. The pathogen, identified in around 70% of children in the UK and US, is a virus that causes the common cold, and it is not yet known why it develops the severe and unexpected inflammation.
There is still a theory, gaining traction, that the Covid19 infection could be behind the outbreak. In an article published in the scientific journal The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, researchers from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom and Cedars Sinai Medical Center in the United States believe that SarsCoV2 (the virus that causes Covid19 ) it can have longlasting effects on the body, eventually leading to worsened inflammation when children are infected with the adenovirus.
What should I do?
In order to prevent the outbreak from escalating, the British health authority is proposing to step up measures such as hand washing and respiratory hygiene such as covering coughs and sneezes with your arm. Experts say the number of cases has been rising relatively slowly but warned more diagnoses are expected.
Today, there is no specific treatment for hepatitis, but medications such as steroids help, as do symptomatic medications. The guidance is for mothers and fathers to be alert to the appearance of any signs and, if necessary, seek immediate medical attention.
Check the symptoms of hepatitis, according to the UK Health Agency:
- dark urine;
- pale or gray stools;
- itchy skin;
- yellow eyes and skin (jaundice);
- muscle and joint pain;
- High temperature;
- nausea and retching;
- Exceptionally tired all the time;
- loss of appetite;
- Stomach pain.