Although the world is still battling Covid-19, some are occurring strange cases of acute hepatitis (liver inflammation), one of which has led to the death of at least one child, this after continuing to see an “unusual” increase in these in the US and Europe cases in otherwise healthy children.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in an update concerns this epidemic of acute hepatitis cases, she said she was informed of the presence of 169 cases of liver injury in children aged one month to 16 yearsand at least one death would be reported among these.
As for the spread of acute hepatitis in children at the moment the most affected country is the United Kingdom where 114 cases have been foundfollowed by Spain with 13 cases, Israel with 12 cases, the United States with 9 cases, Denmark with 6 cases, Ireland with 5 cases, the Netherlands and Italy with 4 casesNorway and France with 2 cases, and finally Romania and Belgium with only 1 case of acute hepatitis.
Patients with this acute hepatitis show severe liver inflammation, as well as significantly elevated liver enzymes, and before admission, many children experienced abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, as well as jaundice.
What could be causing this acute hepatitis?
Until now, the exact cause of the increase in cases has not been identified, and the common hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses were not detected within the patients. Adenoviruses, however, were found in at least 74 cases, including 18 identified as type 41 adenovirus F, a type that had not previously been associated with liver damage.
“The onset of acute hepatitis in a child is not a new phenomenon – there have been occasional cases that have occurred over the years, with no identified underlying cause – often referred to as non-AE hepatitis, as standard hepatitis are negative.
What is unusual is the increase in the number of such cases observed in a short period of time since January of this year“
commented the Professor Will Irvingprofessor of virology at the University of Nottingham, who later added:
“Adenovirus 41 is a well recognized cause of gastroenteritis disease in young children, but it has not previously been associated with hepatitis.
However, the growing percentage of children who meet the current definition of severe acute hepatitis case where Ad-41 has been found cannot be ignored and suggests that Ad-41 infection may be related to the disease in some way.
Although theadenovirus 41 is emerging as a likely culpritWHO notes that SARS-CoV-2 was identified in 20 cases, while SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus co-infection was found in 19 others and points out that further information on the cases, including their close contacts, is necessary before any conclusions can be drawn.
“Adenoviruses are viruses that can normally cause the common cold in adults, but also diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting in children. Sometimes the symptoms can be more severe and can rarely cause inflammation of the liver. It is not uncommon to have adenovirus in the spring.
Given their seasonality, it is possible that in the last couple of years children have been isolated away from their peers and therefore have not contracted the usual childhood viral diseases that boost immunity. Therefore, the contact now with viruses such as adenoviruses could explain the more exaggerated symptoms of some of these previously isolated children “
said the Professor Simon Taylor-Robinsona hepatologist at Imperial College London.
“And there are other viruses out there too: COVID-19 has been associated with inflammation of many other organs in the body. At the moment we do not know for sure what the cause is but the authorities are investigating intensively. It is also difficult to establish cause and effect because viruses can still be common, so they may be present but not necessarily the cause. “
Online speculation attempted, as usual, to blame vaccines for COVID-19, but this is not supported by the data, the official ones, or by any correlationin fact the same WHO in the update on cases of severe hepatitis states:
“The vast majority of affected children did not receive the COVID-19 vaccination.”
Instead, they highlight the possibilities of greater susceptibility to viruses following a lower circulation of adenoviruses (due to COVID-19 measures), co-infections with COVID-19 and a possibility of emergence of a new adenovirus.
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