Hepatitis in children: What do we know? – The analysis of Elias Mosialos and the recommendations to the parents

Cases of unknown pediatric hepatitis have caused concern. But what do we know about these cases? In a post on Facebook, the LSE professor, Elias Mosialos notes that one of the possible causes under investigation is that a group of viruses called adenoviruses can cause the disease. However, other possible causes are being thoroughly investigated.

In particular, Mr. Mosialos notes on cases of hepatitis in children: “As we have heard in recent days, in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands, in recent months there has been an increase in hepatitis cases – unexplained etiology – in children under 10 years.

There have been 74 cases in the United Kingdom since January 2022, of which 49 in England, 13 in Scotland and 12 between Wales and Northern Ireland. The numbers are obviously small, but to understand the difference, a typical number of cases of hepatitis of unknown etiology throughout Scotland is less than 4 per year.

First of all, let’s say that none of the currently confirmed cases in the UK have been vaccinated for coronavirus.

So the correlations with the coronavirus vaccine are unfounded.

On April 15, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement stating that on April 5, the WHO was informed of 10 cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children under 10 years of age, in Scotland. As of April 8, 74 cases had been identified in the United Kingdom. Hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, E and D as appropriate) have been ruled out after laboratory testing, and further research is ongoing to understand the etiology of these cases.

Alabama health officials in the U.S. also issued a statement citing nine cases of hepatitis dating back to November 2020. None of the children had underlying health problems, the statement said, but two of the nine required a liver transplant.

One of the possible causes under investigation is that a group of viruses called adenoviruses can cause the disease. However, other possible causes are being thoroughly investigated.

Adenoviruses are a family of common viruses that usually cause a number of mild symptoms and most people recover without complications. They can cause colds, vomiting and diarrhea. They usually do not infect the liver (to cause hepatitis), but this has also been reported as a known but rare complication of the virus.

Adenoviruses are usually transmitted from person to person, from infected surfaces, and through the respiratory tract. This is why the most effective way to minimize the spread of adenoviruses is through regular hygiene measures, such as good hand washing, and being careful when coughing or sneezing or someone coughing / sneezing near us. In the smaller ones children both learning and supervision during meticulous hand washing are required.

The guidelines of the World Health Organization are a concern and a priority in determining the etiology of cases so that there is coordination of further clinical actions and public health measures.

Any epidemiological links between the cases may provide clues as to the etiology of the disease. The temporal and geographical information of the cases as well as their contacts should also be considered. While some cases have been found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 and / or adenovirus, genetic characterization of viruses should be performed to determine possible correlations between cases. Health authorities should identify, investigate and report possible cases where the symptoms match the hepatitis.

At the same time let parents be wary of idiosyncratic reactions – including jaundice. If they notice any strange symptoms, it is a good idea to contact their child’s pediatrician».

What do we know about hepatitis cases in children?

Posted by Elias Mosialos on Tuesday, April 19, 2022


Source: News Beast

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