Rare, severe liver injury reported in children in the US and Europe

Public health officials in Europe and the United States are investigating dozens of confusing cases of severe hepatitis in young children.

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver. The cause is usually a virus, but the viruses that commonly cause the disease – hepatitis A, B, C, D and E – have been ruled out in the cases mentioned, leaving doctors on the lookout for the culprit.

In some cases, the disease is so severe that children need a liver transplant. No deaths have been reported.

The World Health Organization on Friday said it was investigating 74 cases of severe acute hepatitis in children under 10 years of age in the United Kingdom. The World Health Organization (WHO) said three cases have also been reported in Spain.

In the US, 9 cases have been reported in children 6 years of age and younger in Alabama. Alabama cases were first reported by Statistical News.

Wes Stubblefield, county health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said that all of the children were healthy prior to the illness and that there was no clear link between the children.

With common hepatitis viruses ruled out, the current leading theory is that another virus, called adenovirus type 41, is the cause.

Five out of nine children in Alabama, identified between October 2021 and February, tested positive for adenovirus type 41. But adenovirus is a respiratory virus that commonly causes the common cold and is not usually associated with liver damage.

“This is not normal,” Stubblefield said. “Previously, this virus was not associated with this constellation of signs, symptoms and injuries.”

In children in Alabama, symptoms included diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Some manifestations of jaundice, blood tests show signs of increased liver enzymes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate these cases and is contacting other state health departments to see if other cases exist. .

CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said: “Adenovirus is likely to be the cause of these, but investigators are still learning more, including ruling out more common causes of inflammatory disease. liver”.

Stubblefield is urging its public health partners in other states to watch out for these rare cases and report them to the CDC or their state health departments.

“If people are seeing unusual symptoms, particularly related to adenovirus 41 or adenovirus in general, they should work with their state health department or CDC so we can better clarify what this is.” do and how this is likely to spread,” said Stubblefield.

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