Already 170 cases of acute hepatitis in children, one fatal. The disease reached Belgium

In Europe, more and more cases of acute hepatitis are detected in children with as yet unknown cause. It is reported by epidemiological services in Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Great Britain. The most recent case concerns a 10-year-old child from Belgium.

1. 170 cases of acute hepatitis in children have already been reported worldwide
2. According to the World Health Organization, 17 patients required a liver transplant, and one child died
3. There is no information about the appearance of the disease in Poland yet
4. Medical services are looking for the causes of the increase in disease. Some children have been tested for adenovirus, but it is not responsible for all illnesses
5. Symptoms that may indicate hepatitis include, for example, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and vomiting
6. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Acute hepatitis in children – more and more cases

About 170 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin have been reported worldwide. Cases have been reported, incl. in: Great Britain (114), Spain (13), Israel (12), USA (9), Denmark (6), Ireland (less than 5), Netherlands (4), Italy (4), Norway (2), France (2) and Romania (1).

All patients were from one month to 16 years of age and exhibited symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. 17 children required a liver transplant and at least one child died (WHO does not say in which country).

Now the first case has been detected in a 10-year-old child in Belgium.

The virologist at the National Institute of Health Sciensano Steven van Gucht is not surprised the disease has reached Belgium. “I think there will be new possible cases in the coming days or weeks,” VRT told TV. – Now we have also sent out a warning to doctors and specialists that they should report possible cases. Every year, there are dozens of cases of acute hepatitis, including in children, so it is not unusual in itself – the expert noted.

1. Also read: Hepatitis – What Are The Warning Signs?

There are different forms of hepatitis, named after the virus variant that causes this form: A, B, C, D, and E. The cause of this new mysterious hepatitis is not yet known, but scientists are sure it is not one of the common hepatitis viruses. .

Many people are carriers of the hepatitis virus without even knowing it, as it can sometimes take a long time for someone to develop symptoms. The infection is acute if it lasts less than six months. If the infection lasts longer, it is called chronic hepatitis.

“Hepatitis is always an inflammation of the liver cells,” said Hans van Vlierberghe of Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent). – It’s always the same in any form, whether you have it from a virus, obesity, alcohol, or a strange drug reaction. Here, however, we do not know what is the cause – noted the expert quoted by the Brussels Times.

He stressed that until the cause is identified, effective treatment of the disease is much more difficult. – With treatment, you want to remove the root cause. But if you don’t know what it is then obviously it’s hard to heal. What we do then is treat the symptoms.

Over 100 cases in the UK

The first alarm in Europe was launched by the British Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in early April. More than 60 cases of hepatitis in children in England alone have already been investigated. For comparison, so far about seven of them have been diagnosed annually. In Scotland, an increase in unexplained acute hepatitis among children up to the age of 10 was reported on April 5, 2022.

“If your child has jaundice symptoms, meaning their skin has a yellow tinge that is most visible in the whites of their eyes, you should contact their GP or other health care provider,” emphasized Dr. Nicholas Phin, director of Public Health Scotland (PHS).

“Research is ongoing into a wide range of potential causes, including any possible link to infectious disease,” said Dr. Meera Chand, director of clinical infections. She added that the key is to quickly identify new cases and conduct appropriate tests. To this end, activities are carried out to raise awareness among health professionals who recognize diseases in children.

The European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) indicates on its website that it is working closely on this issue with European countries and the World Health Organization (WHO).

1. Also check: Symptoms of a sick liver – how to recognize? [WE EXPLAIN]

According to BBC News, more than 2022 such cases have been registered across the UK since the beginning of 100. Acute hepatitis of unknown etiology presents with elevated levels of liver enzymes such as AST and ALT, indicative of liver damage. It is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, diarrhea and vomiting. In most cases, however, there is no fever. However, there are children who require hospital treatment and even a liver transplant. Eight such operations have been performed so far in Great Britain.

British specialists suspect that the cause of this condition may be an infectious agent or exposure to an infectious substance. However, it is stressed that this cannot in any way be linked to the COVID-19 vaccination. There were also no associations with nutrition or individual habits.

It has been ruled out that the new cases were caused by one of the known hepatitis viruses such as hepatitis A, B, C, D or E. It is also difficult to associate with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For example, in Scotland, some children with acute hepatitis have been infected with this pathogen in the last three months, but others have not. The same was true of the generally low-risk adenovirus, usually affecting children up to the age of five and causing respiratory or digestive tract infections.

Research is underway to clarify whether a new, more dangerous form of adenovirus has emerged. – The good news is that no matter what pathogen we deal with, the experience with the COVID-19 pandemic will allow us to better limit its transmission – Prof. Susan Hopkins of the British Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

WHO is looking for causes

The World Health Organization lists adenovirus as a possible cause of the disease, and the organization also stressed that “investigations into the causative agent are ongoing”.

Why the liver is inflamed has yet to be established. The difficulty was exacerbated by the fact that diagnoses were made in different parts of the country, so there was no question of an infection center. J.the only clue is the presence of a large proportion of children in the body (77%) adenovirus. However, the pathogen was not found in many samples, so the trail was considered uncertain.

Adenoviruses are common viruses that cause a variety of diseases. They are widespread and regularly cause infectious diseases in all age groups, causing symptoms of a cold, fever, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia or diarrhea, among others.

1. Find out more: Liver disease – how to protect yourself? Preventive examinations and vaccinations

There are many different types of adenoviruses, so people can get infected more than once. Infections are rarely serious, and most children had at least one adenoviral infection by the age of 10. Moreover, these viruses do not have a “season” like other viruses, which means that infections can occur at any time of the year.

Adenovirus infection has never led to hepatitis in healthy children before. Hence, the WHO is considering increased vulnerability due to weaker adenovirus circulation during the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of a new adenovirus, or the combination with coronavirus infection as potential causes.

In addition, no potential link to any of the COVID-19 vaccines has been found, and no other epidemiological risk factor such as travel abroad has been identified so far. – There are many questions and few answers. This does not mean that we should not take it seriously (…), but it is still too early to worry about it, van Gucht believes.

Hepatitis in children is most often caused by viruses

Inflammation of the liver can be caused by many factors. Among them are viral or bacterial infections, but inflammation can also be caused by inborn defects of metabolism, circulatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, pregnancy, consumption of certain drugs or toxins, and alcohol abuse.

In the case of children, the underlying cause of hepatitis is most often a viral infection, which is why in their first year of life they are vaccinated against pathogens that are most often responsible for them. Vaccination against hepatitis B is mandatory and the first dose is usually given in the hospital right after birth (up to the age of 7 months, the baby is vaccinated three times in total). Vaccination against hepatitis A is voluntary; it is listed as recommended in the vaccination calendar.

In Poland, the problem is another type of viral hepatitis – hepatitis C – for which there is no vaccine. The disease is often passed on from mother to child during labor and may be asymptomatic for a long time. Unfortunately, in most cases (80%) it eventually develops into a chronic condition.

Hepatitis – symptoms

According to the UKHSA, symptoms that may indicate a child’s hepatitis include:

1. dark color of urine,
2. a pale grayish stool
3. itchy skin
4. yellowing of the skin and eyes,
5. muscle and joint pain,
6. higher temperature,
7. abdominal pain,
8. loss of appetite
9. severe fatigue.

If you notice these symptoms in your baby, whether or not he has been vaccinated against hepatitis, make an appointment with a pediatrician or general practitioner.

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1. Viral hepatitis – what should you know about this disease?
2. Eight worst foods for the liver
3. Plan: to eliminate hepatitis C completely by 2030. In Poland, 120 people have no idea that they are sick