NEW YORK – Health officials in several countries are investigating mysterious cases of severe liver disease in children and believe it may be related to a type of virus that is commonly associated with colds.
The United Kingdom is investigating at least 74 cases in which children have hepatitis or inflammation of the liver, the World Health Organization said on Friday. Three similar cases in Spain and several in Ireland are being investigated, the WHO said.
US health officials, meanwhile, say they are investigating nine such cases. They were all in Alabama, but authorities say they are looking to see if there are more.
“Given the increase in cases reported in the last month and the intensified case search activities, more cases are likely to be reported in the coming days,” WHO officials said in a statement.
Children in the United States are between the ages of 1 and 6, and two require liver transplants. European cases are in a similar age range, although some were older, WHO officials said.
The WHO first learned about the unusual diseases earlier this month when it learned of 10 children in Scotland with liver problems. One fell ill in January and the other nine in March. They all became seriously ill and were diagnosed with hepatitis after being taken to hospital.
The liver processes nutrients, filters the blood and fights infections. Infections cause symptoms such as jaundice, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Hepatitis can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Since then, British health officials have identified at least 64 other cases. No one died, but six needed liver transplants, the WHO said on Friday.
Laboratory tests have ruled out hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses, which usually cause such diseases. Officials say they are unaware of international travel or other factors that could put children at risk.
But they noted that there has recently been a surge in the spread of adenoviruses.
There are dozens of adenoviruses, many of which are associated with symptoms such as colds, fevers, sore throats and pink eyes. But some versions can cause other problems, including inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Adenoviruses have previously been associated with hepatitis in children, but mostly in children with weakened immune systems.
Some European children tested positive for adenovirus and some tested positive for COVID-19. But more lab work is needed to investigate any potential associations with specific viruses, the WHO said.
Alabama health officials say they have been studying an increase in hepatitis in children since November. In each case, the child tested positive for adenovirus. Officials are investigating a link to a specific version – adenovirus 41 – which is commonly linked to inflammation of the gut.
None of Alabama’s cases had any major health conditions that put them at risk for liver disease, health officials said.
“Currently, adenovirus may be the cause, but researchers are still learning more – including excluding the more common causes of hepatitis,” the CDC said in a statement.
Add Comment