A deadly outbreak of childhood hepatitis could be caused by blocking Covid, which weakens the immune system, health officials said when they revealed that two more British children needed liver transplants and dozens were ill.
UK health officials said the global epidemic in the cases could be the result of pandemic measures that prevented children in their “formative” years from being exposed to common infections.
A total of 114 cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” have been reported in the United Kingdom in the last four weeks, with ten young people undergoing critical liver transplant procedures.
The first cases were spotted in Scotland less than a month ago, sparking a warning from UK health officials who say they have discovered as many cases in three months as they would expect to see in a year.
The majority of cases have been reported in children under 5 years of age who were initially affected by diarrhea and nausea before developing jaundice – yellowing of the skin / eyes. Other symptoms may include dark urine, gray stools, itchy skin, muscle aches, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and stomach pain.
Investigations are ongoing, but officials believe the disease may be caused by adenovirus, a viral infection that is usually responsible for snoring and accounts for three-quarters of all cases.
Experts say the blockade – which has raised concerns about children’s physical and mental health – could weaken children’s immunity and make them more susceptible to the virus, or the offender may have mutated to pose a greater threat.
Dr Meera Chand, director of the Clinical and Emerging Infections Unit at the UK Health Security Agency, told the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Lisbon that younger children become infected because they are not were exposed to it “during the formation of the stages they went through during the pandemic.”
Liver disease has been reported in 12 different countries, including the United States, Ireland and Spain, while one child has died so far.
UK officials have ruled out the Covid vaccine as a possible cause, and none of the sick British children have been vaccinated because of their young age. None of the 11 cases in the United States has been injected either.
The World Health Organization says it has received reports of at least 169 cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” from 12 countries as of Saturday.
Covid’s lock may be behind a mysterious stream of hepatitis cases in children because they reduced social mixing and weakened their immunity, experts say
WHAT CAN BE BEEN BEHIND THE KILLING OF HEPATITIS?
While experts believe that the adenovirus – a virus associated with many common colds – may be behind many cases, the jury does not know the exact cause of the outbreak.
Co-infection
One theory suggests that children infected with Covid and adenovirus at the same time may be at greater risk of hepatitis.
Weakened immunity
British experts suggest that blocking and restrictions have put children at greater risk because they have lower innate immunity to adenovirus.
Adenoviral mutation
Other scientists have suggested that it may be an adenovirus that has acquired “unusual mutations.”
A new version of Covid
UKHSA officials included a “new version of SARS-CoV-2” in their working hypotheses when discussing the version of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Lisbon today.
Almost 170 cases have been reported since the first cases were publicly registered in Scotland in late March.
Hepatologists told MailOnline today that they believe the official figures could only be “the tip of the iceberg” because many parents can get rid of the warning signs.
Professor Simon Taylor-Robinson, a hepatologist at Imperial College London, told MailOnline: “I think there are more cases.
“I guess there are more cases than have been reported, but they will probably be less severe.”
But he added that there was no reason to panic, as in “99 percent” of cases the liver was able to regenerate and the chances of having a transplant or dying due to the condition were low.
Professor Alistair Sutcliffe, a pediatrician at University College London, told MailOnline that the growing number of cases is “a worrying and depressing situation for families”, but parents should not be afraid. Up to 20% of hepatitis cases have no known cause.
He said: “What families should consider [is] if their child develops jaundice after the first few months of life, he or she quickly needs medical attention.
“But this is true for any child who develops jaundice after the first few months of life, so it’s not new advice. With one death and for no apparent reason, life must go on as before. Nothing is scarier than fear itself.
None of the cases was caused by any of the five typical strains of the virus – hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.
The data collected “increasingly” suggests that the increase in severe hepatitis may be linked to a group of viruses called adenoviruses, UKHSA said.
Adenovirus is found in 75 percent of sick children who are tested for it. Sixteen percent had Covid.
Dr Chand of UKHSA said: “The information gathered through our investigations increasingly suggests that this increase in sudden hepatitis in children is linked to adenovirus infection.
“However, we are thoroughly investigating other potential causes.
“Parents and guardians should be alert to signs of hepatitis (including jaundice) and contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned.
“Normal hygiene measures such as thorough hand washing (including observation of children) and good thorough respiratory hygiene help reduce the spread of many common infections, including adenovirus.
“Children who experience symptoms of a gastrointestinal infection, including vomiting and diarrhea, should stay home and not return to school or kindergarten for up to 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped.”
The agency also said that the number of those admitted to mysterious hepatitis so far in 2022 “is equivalent to or greater than the number of those admitted annually in previous years.”
Top experts speculate that blocking Covid may partly explain the mysterious flow of hepatitis cases, weakening children’s immunity and leaving them at increased risk for adenovirus.
Professor Taylor-Robinson told MailOnline: “I think it is likely that children who mix in kindergartens and schools will have lower immunity to seasonal adenoviruses than in previous years due to restrictions.
“This means that they may be more at risk of developing hepatitis because their immune response is weaker to the virus.”
The WHO has received reports of at least 169 cases of “acute hepatitis of unknown origin” from 12 countries. Thirteen cases have been found in Spain, 12 in Israel and 11 in the United States.
Elsewhere, cases have been found in Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Romania.
The cases were found in children aged one month to 16 years, most of whom were hospitalized. The WHO does not disclose in which country the only known death occurred.
Professor Deirdre Kelly, an expert in pediatric hepatology at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, told the Telegraph: “I think what we’ve seen so far could be the tip of the iceberg, because unless they’re yellow, they probably aren’t. do not seek medical attention. Other early symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea – which are not very specific in children.
UKHSA data show that as of April 20, there were 111 confirmed and possible cases of hepatitis in the United Kingdom. Of these, 81 are in England (white stripes), 14 are in Scotland (blue stripes), 11 are in Wales (red stripes) and five in Northern Ireland (green stripes). Between January 21 and April 18, 10 children needed a liver transplant
Cases of hepatitis have been tested for other pathogens when admitted to hospital. Adenovirus (far left band) was the most common pathogen found in 40 of the 53 cases tested, followed by SARS-CoV-2 (second band)
Health chiefs linked data on Covid and adenovirus. This indicates that there is an increase in both previous adenoviral infections (gray bands), coinfections (marine bands) and secondary infections (blue bands).
UKHSA data show that positive adenovirus tests from one to four years old (green line) are higher than in the previous five years. Between November 2021 and March 2022, approximately 200 to 300 cases of adenovirus per week were reported, compared with 50 to 150 cases per week in the same period before the pandemic.
The first cases of hepatitis were registered in the UK, where 114 children are already ill. Thirteen cases have been found in Spain, 12 in Israel and 11 in the United States – including nine in Alabama and two in North Carolina.
The unusual disease has also been observed in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Norway, Romania and Belgium.
Experts from the UK Health Security Agency were summoned to a briefing at the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Lisbon today to present data on the current situation in the UK.
Dr Muge виevik, an infectious disease expert based at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, said Covid was a possible explanation.
But she said: “Acute severe hepatitis is not a common feature of Covid in children, so it is less likely to explain this presentation.
“Adenovirus [Common cold virus] was found in 40 of 53 cases, but not all cases have been tested. Testing for adenovirus is inconsistent in other samples and it is too early to confirm the characteristic.
“It’s important for all countries to share their data once it’s available.”
Professor Graham Cook, an infectious disease expert at Imperial College London, said it was unlikely Covid was guilty.
He said: “Mild hepatitis is very common in children after a number of viral infections, but what is happening now is very different.
“If hepatitis is the result …
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