By Erika EdwardsNBC
News
Health authorities in the United States and Europe are investigating dozens of puzzling cases of severe hepatitis in young children who have suffered severe liver damage.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.
It is usually caused by a virus, but the ones that commonly cause hepatitis A, B, C, D and E have been ruled out this time.
In several cases, the illness was so severe that the children required a liver transplant.
No deaths have been reported.
The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated this Friday that it is investigating 74 cases of acute hepatitis in children under 10 years of age in the United Kingdom.
3 cases were also registered in Spain.
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In the United States, nine cases have been reported in children 6 years of age and younger in Alabama.
Wes Stubblefield, a medical expert with the state Department of Public Health, said all the children were healthy before they got sick, and there is no common link.
With the common hepatitis viruses ruled out, the current leading theory is that a different virus, called adenovirus type 41, is the culprit.
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Five of the nine Alabama children, identified between October 2021 and February, tested positive for adenovirus type 41.
Adenoviruses are respiratory viruses that usually cause the common cold, and are not usually associated with liver damage.
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"This is unusual," said Stubblefield, "this virus has not been associated with this constellation of signs, symptoms and lesions in the past."
In the Alabama children, symptoms included diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Some developed jaundice and blood tests showed signs of elevated liver enzymes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate the illnesses, and has contacted other states to see if there are other cases.
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"Adenovirus may be the cause of these illnesses, but researchers are still learning more, including ruling out the most common causes of hepatitis," CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said.
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“If people are seeing unusual symptoms, specifically associated with adenovirus 41 or adenovirus in general, they should work with their state health department or the CDC so we can better figure out what is causing this and how it is potentially spreading.” Stubblefield added.