Health officials are looking for a cause of hepatitis in children in 16 countries

Geneva –

Health officials are still trying to identify the cause of cases of acute and severe hepatitis that have infected dozens of children in 16 countries, mainly in Europe.

More than 170 cases of acute severe hepatitis in children aged 1 month to 16 years have been reported from 16 countries, 12 in Europe. Most cases have been found in the UK. Other infections have been reported in the United States, Canada, Israel and Japan.

The World Health Organization reports that 17 children needed a liver transplant and one child died. Hepatitis in children can sometimes lead to chronic liver disease and liver failure.

Philippa Easterbrook is a scientist in the WHO program on global HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections. She said the origin of these infections in children remains unknown. She said research has shown that none of the children have common viral causes of hepatitis A, B, C or E.

“The questionnaires did not identify a common exposure – be it a toxin or a specific food – and there is no strong travel history. And importantly, very few children have been vaccinated against COVID. So it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the COVID vaccine, “she said.

Easterbrook says one line of inquiry is to see if there is a possible link to adenovirus. It is a common infection in children that can cause respiratory diseases, gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis and bladder infection.

She said several cases of unexplained hepatitis in children occur in most countries each year. She said scientists were trying to determine whether the current apparent infection rate was indeed unusually high or simply the result of better reporting.

“Suggestions are that there is a clear significant increase above this background rate in several of the countries that have managed to report this data with some confidence. But we are trying to find out in the different countries we are working with now to investigate these cases and see if that is the case, “Easterbrook said.

The WHO says toxicological, immunological and other tests will continue in hospitals. He notes that more cases are likely to be detected before the cause of the infection can be confirmed and more control and prevention measures can be taken.