There are no known cases in Austria, but in several European countries as well as the US, children suffer from a form of hepatitis that cannot be traced back to the common hepatitis viruses.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cases of acute hepatitis of uncertain origin are increasing among children, especially in Great Britain. Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses were ruled out as the cause of the disease after laboratory tests. Similar cases were also detected in other countries: another three cases were reported in Spain, including a 13-year-old child. Some suspected cases have been reported in Ireland, not all confirmed. Some cases have also been reported in the US and the Netherlands. Cases would be investigated extensively, for example, to determine whether minors had previously traveled to certain countries or were exposed to possible poisoning.