Cases of acute hepatitis, of unknown causes, have been observed in young healthy children in the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere in Europe. And 2 cases in France detected at the Lyon University Hospital. These severe hepatitis could be linked to the adenovirus or to Sars-CoV-2, the Covid virus, reports the WHO.
[Mis à jour le 19 avril 2022 à 10h33] On Friday April 15, 2022, several scientists launched the alert of a “strange and alarming epidemic” of severe hepatitis of unknown cause in healthy young children reports an article published in the journal Science. 74 cases have reportedly been recorded in the UK. But also in other European countries and to UNITED STATES. “The increase is unexpected and the usual causes have been ruled out“, worries the Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Europe in a press release dated April 15, 2022. “This is’a serious phenomenon [qui touche] healthy children“, insisted Deirdre Kelly, pediatric hepatologist at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in the United Kingdom, quoted by the journal Science. Among the symptoms of hepatitis, jaundice, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain… What are the symptoms of alert? What do we know about the origin of these forms of hepatitis?
How many cases of hepatitis in the world?
Several cases of severe hepatitis have been reported in healthy young children, the vast majority aged between 11 months and 13 years. To date, no deaths have been reported.
- In Scotland, WHO has been notified of 13 cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in children under 10 years old, in the center of the country (as of 12 April 2022). Of these 10 cases, 9 would have presented warning symptoms in March 2022 and one child, in January 2022. Normally, Scotland observes less than 4 cases of this type of hepatitis per year.
- UK : 74 cases have been recorded as of 8 April 2022 (including cases seen in Scotland). No deaths are to be deplored, but all the children were admitted to hospital and 6 had to undergo liver transplants.
- In Spain : 3 cases were detected (no deaths, one child had to undergo a liver transplant)
- In Denmark and the Netherlands: several similar cases would also have been identified
- In the USAthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating 9 cases in Alabama.
- In Irelandless than 5 cases would have been identified.
Given the increase in reported cases over the past month and improved case-finding activities, more cases are likely to be reported in the coming days, WHO said.
Two cases of acute hepatitis whose etiology is still undetermined have been reported by the Lyon University Hospital
How many cases in France?
“Two cases of acute hepatitis whose etiology is still undetermined have been reported by the Lyon University Hospital“, confirms Public Health France this Tuesday, April 19, 2022. These two cases would concern children under 10 years old and are the subject of investigation by medical teams. “Cases of acute hepatitis of undetermined etiology in children are not uncommon. The occurrence of these two cases is not unexpected and does not, at this stage, indicate an excess of cases in France. Given the active search for cases that has been launched by the health authorities, other reports are likely to be expected in the coming days.“, continues the health authority.
Half of children with hepatitis in the UK have tested positive for adenovirus
The hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, E and D, as appropriate) have been excluded after laboratory tests while further investigations are underway to understand the etiology of these cases, the WHO says. No other epidemiological risk factor has been identified to date, including recent international travel. According to the scientists, quoted in the journal Science, these cases of hepatitis would rather be linked to an adenovirus, a family of viruses that usually only cause a bad cold. Indeed, half of children with hepatitis in the UK have tested positive for the virus, as have all the cases spotted in Alabama. the Sars-CoV-2, virus responsible for Covid, has also been detected in several children (the exact number has not been revealed). However, this is only a guess:the evidence is too thin to solve the mystery“, say researchers and doctors. Genetic characterization of viruses should be undertaken to determine any potential association between the cases. This hepatitis epidemic is still under active investigation.
Can we travel despite these cases of hepatitis?
Yes. In its statement of April 15, 2022, the WHO does not recommend no restrictions on travel and/or trade with the UK, or any other country where cases are identified, based on currently available information.
Sources: Acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, WHO, April 15, 2022 / Mysterious hepatitis outbreak sickens young children in Europe as CDC probes cases in Alabama, Science, April 15, 2022