Hepatitis cases of unclear origin are increasing among children in different countries
Quelle: pa/photothek/Ute Grabowsky
The liver diseases of unclear origin first became known in Great Britain. Hepatitis cases have now occurred in other countries. It has not yet been clearly clarified whether the corona virus plays a role in the diseases.
Nfter mysterious liver diseases in children in Great Britain, cases of hepatitis have also become known in other countries. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said other cases of hepatitis of unclear origin have been identified in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain. It was not initially announced how many cases were involved. Nine cases of acute hepatitis were also observed in children between one and six years of age in the US state of Alabama.
In the past week, 74 cases of hepatitis or liver inflammation in children have been reported in Great Britain since January. The usual viruses that usually cause hepatitis infections could not be detected in the cases. Doctors and scientists are therefore considering other origins, such as the coronavirus, other viruses and environmental factors.
“Mild hepatitis is very common in children after a series of viral infections, but what is currently being seen is very different,” said Graham Cooke, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London. Some of the cases in the UK required specialist care in specialist units, with a few cases requiring liver transplants. Cooke was not convinced that the coronavirus was responsible for the occurrence. “If the hepatitis were a consequence of Covid, given the current high prevalence (of Covid-19), it would be surprising not to see it more widespread across the country,” he said.
“Currently, the exact cause of hepatitis in these children is still unknown,” said the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. British scientists recently said they are studying adenoviruses as a possible cause. These usually cause conjunctivitis, sore throat or diarrhea. The US authorities said the nine children with hepatitis in Alabama had tested positive for adenoviruses.
Some doctors have noted that adenoviruses are so common that their detection in people with hepatitis does not necessarily mean that the viruses are responsible for the liver disease. British scientists ruled out a connection to corona vaccines: none of the children affected had been vaccinated against the corona virus.
The World Health Organization said the potential role of adenoviruses or coronaviruses is still unclear. Some of the children had tested positive for the corona virus. However, genetic virus analyzes are needed to determine whether there are links between the cases. No other connections have been found between the children in the UK, none of whom have recently traveled internationally.