Nine children – all under the age of six – have had severe cases of inflammatory liver disease since October. At least one has suffered from acute liver failure. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched an investigation into the possible cause. The disease is usually caused by hepatitis A to E viruses, but officials believe they have already ruled that out. Instead, they focus on adenoviruses – one of the causes of the common cold – in which five of the patients have so far tested positive. At least one other case has been identified in another unnamed U.S. state, according to the Alabama Department of Health. The United States is now the third country in the world to report mysterious hepatitis, with the United Kingdom and Spain recording 74 and three cases in people under the age of 10 this week. None of the children in the UK tested positive for any of the hepatitis viruses. Nine children – all under the age of six – have had severe cases of inflammatory liver disease since October. The adenovirus is thought to be behind the mysterious cases of hepatitis (Image: A stock image of a virus) The above shows countries that report cases of hepatitis that can be caused by a virus that causes the common cold. In the USA the cases are in Alabama (they appear with the yellow dot). In the United Kingdom, they have been reported in England and parts of Scotland. In Spain they have been found in Madrid, the capital and the region of Aragon Alabama health officials have not revealed where the cases were located, but are now looking for other victims in the area and in neighboring states. There were no links between the nine children and none had underlying conditions that put them at risk for hepatitis. A CDC spokeswoman said the agency “knows and is working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate nine cases of hepatitis in children – ages one to six – who have also tested positive for adenovirus since October 2021.
WHAT IS HEPATITIS?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is usually caused by a viral infection or liver damage from alcohol consumption. Short-term hepatitis often has no obvious symptoms. However, if any do occur, they may include dark urine, light gray, itchy skin, and yellowing of the eyes and skin. They can also include muscle and joint pain, fever, nausea and / or vomiting, and unusual tiredness all the time. When hepatitis is transmitted by a virus, it is usually caused by consuming food and drink contaminated with the feces of an infected person or by blood-to-blood or sexual contact. Source: NHS “The CDC is working with the state health services to see if there are any more cases in the US and what could be causing them. “At the moment, adenovirus may be the cause, but researchers are still learning more – including ruling out the most common causes.” Karen Landers, an area physician in the Alabama Department of Public Health, said five of the children tested positive for adenoviruses. He warned that “it is not common” to diagnose cases of severe hepatitis among children, telling Stat News that “seeing children with severe [hepatitis] absence of serious underlying health problems is very rare. “That was what really set us apart in the state of Alabama.” Helena Gutierrez, medical director of the Pediatric Liver Transplant Program at the University of Alabama, told the site that the children had the “full range.” “We have seen a full range of cases from severe hepatitis to acute liver failure,” he said. Adenoviruses are a family of common viruses that usually cause a range of mild illnesses – including colds, vomiting and diarrhea – and most people recover without complications. Although they do not usually cause hepatitis, they are a known rare complication of the virus. The U.S. identified 12 cases of adenovirus-related hepatitis in 2017, with patients including eight children. Britain has so far identified 74 mysterious cases of hepatitis in people under the age of 10, officials revealed on Tuesday, all of which have been detected in hospitals across the country. Health leaders in the country say the adenovirus could be “one of the possible causes”, although they are still investigating other possible factors. Spain said it had identified three cases in people under the age of 7 the next day, one leading to a child in need of a liver transplant, El Pais reported. Dr Meera Chand, Director of Emerging Infections in the UK, said standard hygiene measures, such as hand washing and respiratory hygiene, can reduce the spread of infections. He added that parents and guardians should be “alert” to signs of hepatitis and contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned. Hepatitis often has no noticeable symptoms – but may include dark urine, light gray stools, itchy skin, and yellowing of the eyes and skin. Infected people may also suffer from muscle and joint pain, high fever, feel and be sick, and be unusually tired all the time. When hepatitis is transmitted by a virus, it is usually caused by eating food and drink contaminated with the feces of an infected person or by blood-to-blood or sexual contact.
