Hepatitis

2022 - 4 - 26

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Ten UK children require transplant amid surge in hepatitis cases (The Guardian)

Lack of exposure to adenoviruses due to Covid restrictions is most likely explanation for surge, experts say.

Cases of severe hepatitis among young children have also been detected in 12 other countries, with at least 169 cases reported to the World Health Organization so far. None of the affected children have died. Seven of the transplant cases were in England.

UK officials focus on possible adenovirus link to cases of hepatitis in ... (CNN)

Health officials in the UK have released new details in their ongoing investigation of an unusual series of hepatitis cases in children.

Dozens have recovered and no deaths have been reported in the UK, but 10 children have needed liver transplants. Roughly three-quarters of the 53 children who were tested for adenovirus in the UK came back positive. Many more cases have been announced in the US and other countries around the world.

Hepatitis: Number of known cases among UK children under 10 ... (Sky News)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported one death of a child with hepatitis this weekend but did not say where it had occurred.

"Parents and guardians should be alert to the signs of hepatitis, including jaundice, and to contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned. A number of hypotheses are being considered as to why there have been cases of a more severe infection of adenovirus, leading to the rise in hepatitis. The number of known cases of sudden onset hepatitis among children under 10 has risen to 111 and the number of those who have needed a liver transplant has increased to 10, the UK Health Security Agency has reported.

Doctors reveal likely cause of mysterious child hepatitis as 11 need ... (The Independent)

Investigations 'increasingly' point to F41 strain of adenovirus after string of sudden cases around world.

“Parents and guardians should be alert to the signs of hepatitis (including jaundice) and to contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned. No link to Covid vaccines have been identified and none of the children under 10 had been vaccinated. They are common in children and usually don’t cause hepatitis but it can be a rare complication of some types.

Lockdown 'may be partly to blame' for hepatitis outbreak with 114 ... (Metro)

Mask wearing and other Covid rules may have reduced exposure and immunity to adenoviruses, the UKHSA agency said amid liver transplants.

Experts also discounted the idea that international travel or paracetamol could be factors. Most of the UK cases of liver inflammation were in children under five, though a small number of cases in children over 11 are also being examined, the UKHSA added. Meanwhile, a total of 16% of the UK hepatitis cases were positive for Covid-19 – but that was expected due to current high rates of that virus. They are exploring a link to one of the dozens of versions of the virus — adenovirus 41 — which is normally associated with gut inflammation. A link to the coronavirus vaccine has been ruled out, however, since none of the confirmed UK cases in under 10s are known to have been vaccinated. The number of infected youngsters in the UK – who are mainly under 10 – had risen to 114 a few days ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Could Covid lockdowns be behind hepatitis surge in children? (Evening Standard)

lack of exposure to a common virus during Covid restrictions could be behind the surge in hepatitis cases among young children, experts have suggested.

“Parents and guardians should be alert to the signs of hepatitis, including jaundice, and to contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned. Parents have been urged to be alert to the signs and symptoms of hepatitis, including jaundice. Parents and guardians should be alert to the signs of hepatitis, including jaundice, and to contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned

Liver disease outbreak: Hepatitis warning issued to parents as ... (Maldon and Burnham Standard)

Scientists have warned children are more at risk to the disease due to lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking to the European Congress of Clinical ...

– tummy pain. Or another co-factor could be a toxin drug or an environmental exposure interacting.” But we have a co-factor affecting a particular age group of young children, which is either rendering that infection more severe or causing it to trigger some kind of an immunopathology.” – muscle and joint pain. Alternatively, a prior infection with Covid or another infection. Dr Chand said: “Clinicians realised we were seeing something unusual…