The cause and prevalence of childhood hepatitis remain unknown

The CDC works with health departments across the country to hepatitis The cause is unknown and we are investigating a potential association with adenovirus type 41 infection.

April, CDC National health alert A case of unexplained hepatitis first identified in October 2021 at a children’s hospital in Alabama. At that time, five children, including a child with acute liver failure, were hospitalized for severe liver failure. All children were tested negative for hepatitis A, B, and C viruses and positive for adenovirus. Further examination of hospital records identified four more patients, all of whom were infected with hepatitis and adenovirus.

All patients were previously healthy and the age at admission ranged from 1 to 6 years. The children came from different parts of the state and no known contact or general exposure was found among the children. None of them had a serious underlying medical condition, and other patients with similar illnesses have been investigated in other states.

According to the CDC, researchers are aware of a recent increase in pediatric patients with unexplained hepatitis in children reported in other countries. Adenovirus is found in some patients throughout Europe, but not in all, so researchers are considering other potential causes and factors.

The cause of the reported illness is still unknown. Adenovirus has been detected in some children, but it may not be the cause of the disease. CDC officials are investigating how other factors play a role in the disease, including exposure to toxins and other infections that children may have.

The number of cases is also unknown, and it is not yet clear whether the number of cases of childhood hepatitis has increased or whether case detection has improved. It is not uncommon for the cause of some hepatitis cases in children to remain unknown, according to CDC data.

Despite these questions remaining, I found some answers. Laboratory tests have confirmed that some children carry type 41 adenovirus. This is likely to cause severe stomach illness in children. Although there are previous reports of hepatitis in children infected with adenovirus and whose immune system is suppressed, adenovirus type 41 is not a common cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children.

Other common causes of viral hepatitis were investigated, including infections with hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses, but no evidence of these infections was found. Pediatric patients in Alabama have ruled out several other causes, including SARS-CoV-2, bacteria, urinary tract infections, autoimmune hepatitis, and Wilson’s disease.

CDC officials are working with state and local health departments to identify whether pediatric patients with hepatitis have been added to the United States and the potential causes of these illnesses. At this time, experts believe that adenovirus may be the cause of some of these reported illnesses, but researchers still rule out other possible causes and include potential factors. I have specified.

The CDC is considering testing for adenovirus in pediatric patients with unexplained hepatitis and is asking healthcare providers to report potential causes of hepatitis to local or state public health authorities. CDC staff work closely with laboratories across the country to determine the best testing method, and additional information is shared through clinician outreach and communication activities planned when it becomes available. increase.

The pharmacist can also educate parents about symptoms of liver inflammation such as fever, malaise, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, arthralgia, and jaundice. Children also need to be up-to-date with all vaccinations and can take simple daily actions to prevent illness, such as washing hands and covering coughing and sneezing.

reference

CDC. A child with unexplained hepatitis. Reviewed May 6, 2022. It was accessed on May 10, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/investigation/hepatitis-unknown-cause/overview-what-to-know.html