CDC issues warning about rare liver damage in children

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking doctors nationwide to watch out for unusually severe cases of hepatitis in children. The agency has issued a health advice on Thursday.

Nine cases have been reported in Alabama, and two more have been identified in North Carolina, according to those states’ health departments.

Dozens of such cases have also been identified in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands. European Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday.

Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver, a condition that can lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Some children in Alabama have jaundice, with blood tests showing signs of elevated liver enzymes.

Some children in that state were so sick that they needed a liver transplant. No deaths have been reported. All were between the ages of 1 and 6 and before that were healthy, without any underlying medical conditions.

Bailey Pennington, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said two “school-age” children in that state developed severe hepatitis and subsequently recovered.

“No cause has been found and no routine exposure has been identified,” Pennington said in a statement.

In Europecases are usually seen in children aged 2 to 5 years.

Viruses are often the cause of hepatitis, especially hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses. All clinical laboratories in the United States are required to report those viruses as they are detected, so that health authorities can work to contain outbreaks.

However, to date, all common hepatitis viruses have been ruled out.

The investigators also said neither the Covid-19 nor the Covid vaccines had anything to do with the hepatitis cases.

Dr Karen Landers, medical officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said: “None of the children in the group tested positive for Covid-19. received the Covid-19 vaccine. “

A growing number of signs point to a virus that is not normally associated with hepatitis: adenovirus type 41. According to the CDC, this particular virus is known to cause vomiting and diarrhea in children, as well as respiratory symptoms like the common cold.

“Although there have been reports of hepatitis in immunocompromised children infected with adenovirus type 41, adenovirus type 41 is not known to cause hepatitis in healthy children,” the CDC said in the warning. strong,” the CDC said in its warning.

Five out of nine children in Alabama tested positive for the virus. Their cases occurred from October to February.

CDC health advisors urge “clinicians who may see pediatric patients with viral hepatitis of unknown cause consider testing for adenovirus and request that these cases be reported to public health authorities.” state and for the CDC.”

A spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health said officials there are “closely monitoring the situation” and “will work with health care providers to detect cases in the state.” California.”

“Non-communicable causes of hepatitis or unrecognized cases of the virus may not be frequently reported,” said AnneMarie Harper, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “We will be reaching out to Colorado healthcare providers to share information and actively monitor possible cases in Colorado consistent with these reports.”

Idaho State epidemiologist Dr. Christine Hahn also said her team is contacting pediatric infectious disease physicians and pediatric gastroenterologists.

“So far they have not reported any cases,” she said. “Keep stable.”

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