A conundrum for researchers: 74 cases of hepatitis in children were reported in the UK last week, and they are also piling up in the US.
After mysterious liver disease in children in Great Britain, cases of hepatitis also became known in other countries. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said other cases of hepatitis of uncertain origin had been identified in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain. It was not initially announced how many cases were involved. Nine cases of acute hepatitis were also observed in children between one and six years of age in the US state of Alabama.
74 cases in the UK alone
Last week, 74 cases of hepatitis or liver inflammation in children were reported in Britain since January. The usual viruses that usually cause hepatitis infections could not be detected in the cases. Doctors and scientists are therefore considering other sources such as the coronavirus, other viruses and environmental factors.
“Mild hepatitis is very common in children after a series of viral infections, but what is currently being seen is very different,” said Graham Cooke, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London. Some of the cases in the UK required specialist care in specialist units, with some cases requiring liver transplants. Cooke was not convinced that the coronavirus was responsible for the occurrence. “If hepatitis were a consequence of Covid, given the current high prevalence (of Covid-19), it would be surprising not to see it more widespread across the country,” he said.
Possibly adenovirus as the cause
“Currently, the exact cause of hepatitis in these children is still unknown,” said the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. British scientists recently said they are studying adenovirus as a possible cause. These usually cause conjunctivitis, sore throat, or diarrhea. US officials said the nine children with hepatitis in Alabama tested positive for adenovirus.
Some doctors have noted that adenoviruses are so common that their detection in people with hepatitis does not necessarily mean the viruses are responsible for liver disease. British scientists have ruled out a connection to corona vaccines: none of the affected children had been vaccinated against the corona virus.
Genetic analyzes of viruses can provide clarity
The World Health Organization said the potential role of adenoviruses or coronaviruses is still unclear. Some of the children tested positive for the corona virus. However, genetic analyzes of viruses are needed to determine if there are links between the cases. No other connections were found between the children in the UK, none of whom had recently traveled abroad.
20 minutes time of the navigation account04/19/2022, 19:08| Act: 04/19/2022, 19:12