Mysterious hepatitis virus is suddenly spreading rapidly among children - and in several countries

Created: 04/21/2022, 12:30 p.m

By: Lukas Einkammerer

After severe hepatitis infections in small children, doctors are alarmed.

Several countries are reporting unusual numbers of cases.

The cause is still unknown.

Update from April 21, 9:24 a.m

.: Health authorities in European countries are dealing with unusual hepatitis diseases in children (see first report).

Inflammation of the liver up to and including liver failure with an unknown cause have been found in children in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain as well as in Great Britain, reports the European health authority ECDC.

There are also nine suspected cases of acute hepatitis in the US state of Alabama.

The exact cause of the cause of the children's hepatitis is still unknown at this time, the ECDC said.

"Investigations are ongoing in all countries with reported cases," ECDC said.

Hepatitis cases in children continue to be a mystery - RKI calls for increased attention

How is the situation in Germany?

So far, no cases have become known to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), said an RKI spokeswoman at the request of the dpa news agency.

The RKI informed several medical societies and the federal states and asked for increased attention and information in the event of similar cases occurring in Germany.

"We asked the children's hepatology centers in Germany after the reports from Great Britain: So far, however, there have been no worrying signs of an unusual accumulation.

Serious cases would have been noticed in the centers, for example if a liver transplant was necessary," explains Burkhard Rodeck, Secretary General of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ).

“Basically, severe hepatitis in children is rather rare.

It is also well known that no clear cause can be found," said Rodeck.

“As a rule, we suspect a previously unknown viral infection.

Several types of viruses are possible, not just the hepatitis viruses A to E. The known viral diseases can of course be diagnosed, but previously unknown ones remain unclear given the low number of cases, it is not yet entirely clear, said Rodeck.

Unexplained hepatitis infections in young children

According to the ECDC, the known pathogens of hepatitis A, B, C, D and E were not detected in those affected.

Also, no connection between the hepatitis cases and a corona vaccination was found.

Likewise, common patterns such as travel, food, drinks and personal habits of those affected could not be determined.

These factors were queried in a questionnaire.

Toxicological studies are in progress.

British health officials believe infection is the most likely cause.

It is initially unclear whether an adenovirus or coronavirus infection could be behind this.

The Scottish Health Authority has published

details of hepatitis cases in

Of those 13 cases reported in Scotland, 11 had adenovirus test results - five of which were positive.

Three of the children also tested positive for Corona and five negative.

In two of those affected, an infection had been documented three months earlier.

The question of the trigger remains open after this case analysis.

Other infectious causes are still under investigation.

A new or undiscovered virus cannot currently be ruled out.

"It is noteworthy that none of the children were vaccinated against Sars-CoV-2," the report said.

Adenoviruses – can cause respiratory diseases, eye infections and gastrointestinal diseases.

The viruses are highly contagious and resistant.

The pathogens usually spread from hand to hand.

They can remain contagious for a few weeks on surfaces such as door handles or towels, as can be read

on the

Regular hand washing is therefore strongly recommended as a precautionary measure.

Connection with Corona?

Mysterious hepatitis virus suddenly spreads rapidly among children

First report from April 18, 2022

Geneva – Two years since the beginning of the corona pandemic, the virus is still raising new questions.

Although the Omicron variant has proven to be less dangerous than previous variants, the danger is far from averted.

Recent developments in the UK have now underlined that other diseases also pose a serious threat in the Corona age.

Because there is said to have been an unexpected increase in liver disease hepatitis, which could possibly be related to the corona virus.

Hepatitis diseases in children: severe courses but no deaths

As the World Health Organization (WHO) announced, since the beginning of April there have been a large number of hepatitis cases in the United Kingdom, affecting children between the ages of eleven months and ten years.

After initially only ten new diseases were reported, the number is said to have risen to 74 in the past week.

Since then, the first cases have also appeared in Ireland and Spain.

The diseases have so far been a mystery, because the hepatitis viruses A, B, C, E and D have been ruled out after laboratory tests, according to the WHO.

In several cases, a corona infection or adenoviruses or both were detected in the small patients.

It is not yet clear whether this is the trigger.

According to the WHO, the disease is primarily characterized by symptoms such as jaundice, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and increased liver enzymes.

Although no deaths are said to have been recorded so far, six children have already had to undergo a liver transplant.

Hepatitis diseases in children: connection with corona cannot be ruled out

As the WHO further reports, infection with the coronavirus and adenoviruses, which cause gastrointestinal problems, among other things, have been detected in some cases.

It is currently still unclear whether there is a connection with the hepatitis disease and further research is being carried out.

Infection with hepatitis can have serious consequences.

In the UK, the disease is now increasing among children.

© dpa/Angelika Warmuth

Hepatitis diseases in children: WHO warns of more cases

Since the cause of the new hepatitis cases has not yet been identified, according to the WHO there will most likely be more new cases in the near future.

All member countries of the United Nations should therefore report and investigate possible cases as a matter of urgency.

Traveling to and trading with the UK and other countries with proven cases should still be safe.

Hepatitis diseases in children: Many cases go unreported

According to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, hepatitis is unfortunately often underestimated and in many cases remains unreported.

Since there are five different types of the disease - denoted by the letters A to E - diseases vary in severity.

While type A, which can be transmitted through contaminated water, is often relatively benign, types B, C, and D can have serious, long-term consequences such as liver cancer.

The problem is said to be that many of those affected are not even aware of the disease.

An estimated 290 million people worldwide are said to have chronic hepatitis without ever being diagnosed.

The prospect is frightening and one can only hope that the situation in the UK and other affected countries does not spread further.

(le)

Scientists are currently further researching a possible connection between the corona vaccination and heart muscle inflammation.