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Health authorities say they have detected more cases of a mysterious liver disease in children than was first identified in Britain, and new infections are spreading to Europe and the United States.
Last week, the British authorities reported 74 cases of hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, detected in children since January. The usual viruses that cause infectious hepatitis were not seen in the cases, and scientists and doctors are considering other possible sources, such as COVID-13, other viruses and environmental factors.
Acute hepatitis of unknown origin
In a statement on Tuesday, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said additional cases of hepatitis had been identified in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain, without specifying exactly how many cases had been found. He also said that the US authorities detected nine cases of acute hepatitis in Alabama in children aged 1 to 6 years.
“Following the reported cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin by the British Health Security Agency” in early April, “there were reports of additional cases in children in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain”, indicates the European agency in a statement.
“Mild hepatitis is very common in children after a series of viral infections, but what you’re seeing right now is quite different,” said Graham Cooke, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London. Some of the cases in the UK have required specialist care in liver units and a few have required a liver transplant”.
#Update on the #hepatitis cases of unknown origin in children.#Denmark, #Ireland, #Netherlands, #Spain and the #US report cases .
More information ⬇️⬇️⬇️
and here: https://t.co/iYowLpJMfZ https://t.co/gIZHJuxe3u
— ECDC (@ECDC_EU) April 19, 61514658
Consequence of COVID-19?
Cooke is not convinced that the COVID-19 is responsible. “If hepatitis were a consequence of COVID, it would be surprising not to see it more widely distributed throughout the country, given the high prevalence of (COVID-19) at this time,” he said.
“Currently, the exact cause of hepatitis in these children remains being unknown”, said the European CDC.
Scientists investigate adenoviruses
Scientists in the UK previously said that one of the possible causes they were investigating was adenoviruses, a family of common viruses that are often responsible for conditions such as conjunctivitis, sore throat or diarrhoea. US authorities said all nine children with acute hepatitis in Alabama tested positive for adenovirus.
Some doctors have pointed out that adenoviruses are so common in children that the mere fact of finding them in hepatitis patients does not necessarily mean that the viruses are responsible for the infection. liver disease.
The British health authorities ruled out any relationship with COVID-vaccines 19, stating that none of the affected children were vaccinated.
Genetic analysis
The World Health Organization indicated that although there has been an increase in adenovirus in Britain, which is spreading at the same time as COVID-19, the possible role of these viruses in triggering hepatitis is unclear. Some of the children have tested positive for the coronavirus, but the WHO said genetic analysis of the virus was needed to determine if there was any connection between the cases.
Said that no other relationship had been found between the UK children and that none had recently traveled abroad. Laboratory tests are also being carried out to determine if the cause could be a chemical or a toxin.
The WHO said there were fewer than five possible cases in Ireland and three confirmed cases in Spain, in children between 22 months and 13 years.
The UN health agency said that, given the increase in cases in the last month and the intensification of surveillance, it was “very likely” that detect more cases before identifying the cause of the outbreak.
FEW (AP, AFP)