# Explainer-Scientists investigate hepatitis outbreak in children in Europe and US Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-04-26 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Mysterious Increase in Severe Paediatric Hepatitis Outbreak Meta Description: Health authorities worldwide are alarmed by a surge in severe hepatitis cases in young children, with concerns over atypical symptoms and potential viral URL: https://financedigest.com/explainer-scientists-investigate-hepatitis-outbreak-in-children-in-europe-and-ushtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-04-26t122634z1lynxnpei3p0j2rtroptp4health-hepatitis-1736815825632-compressed.jpg) By Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover LONDON (Reuters) – Health authorities around the world are investigating a mysterious increase in severe cases of hepatitis – inflammation of the liver – in young children. Below is a summary of what is known about the outbreak: WHAT’S HAPPENED? More than 190 cases have been identified, with the [majority in Britain](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-delays-major-rail-project-hs2-as-costs-soar-again.html "Britain delays major rail project HS2 as costs soar again"), which has reported 111 cases since January. Other countries including the United States, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain have also reported smaller numbers of cases. WHY IS IT CAUSING CONCERN? Mild paediatric hepatitis is not unheard of, but the cases first raised the alarm in Scotland, on April 6, because children were very sick. Several have even needed liver transplants and one child has died. The other concern was that the cases were not linked to the typical viruses usually linked to the condition – hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. This is still a very low number of cases, but they are children, that is the main concern, and the other thing is the severity,” said Maria Buti, a hepatology professor from Barcelona and [chair of the European Association of the Study of the Liver’s public health committee](https://www.financedigest.com/us-house-committee-chair-concerned-by-tesla-deals-in-china.html "US House committee chair ‘concerned’ by Tesla deals in China"), who has been following the outbreak closely with the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). WHAT IS CAUSING IT? The leading theory is viral infection, probably with an adenovirus – a common family of viruses that can [cause](https://www.financedigest.com/five-common-it-headaches-caused-by-long-term-working-from-home.html "Five common IT headaches caused by long-term working from home ") the common cold, among other conditions. One kind of adenovirus, type 41, commonly causes acute gastroenteritis, and there have been [reports of it causing](https://www.financedigest.com/hurricane-matthew-causes-up-to-15bn-impact-to-us-and-caribbean-economies-in-october-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Hurricane Matthew causes up to bn impact to US and Caribbean economies in October, according to Aon catastrophe report") hepatitis in immunocompromised children, but never previously in healthy children. [Public Health](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-technology-impact-public-health.html "How can Technology Impact Public Health") Scotland’s director, Jim McMenamin, said work was under way to establish if the adenovirus involved had mutated to cause more severe disease, or if it could be causing the problems “in tandem” with another virus, including possibly SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Of the affected children in Britain, 75% [tested positive](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-has-mild-symptoms-taking-paxlovid-treatment.html "Biden tests positive for COVID, has mild symptoms, taking Paxlovid treatment") for adenovirus. It is also possible that a novel pathogen may be involved, or exposure to a toxin, but the geographic spread of cases suggests infection is a more likely explanation, [scientists say](https://www.financedigest.com/whos-top-scientist-says-omicron-could-displace-delta.html "WHO’s top scientist says Omicron could displace Delta"). Any link to [COVID-19 vaccines](https://www.financedigest.com/gsk-sk-bioscience-to-test-covid-19-vaccine-against-astrazeneca-shot.html "GSK, SK Bioscience to test COVID-19 vaccine against AstraZeneca shot") has been ruled out, as the children in Britain, where the majority of cases have been found, were not vaccinated. Other scientists said lowered immunity as a result of reduced social mixing during the pandemic could be an explanation. “This may be an over-response to stimulation to the immune system that is not used to such insult … that’s a good theory,” said Simon Taylor-Robinson, a consultant hepatologist and professor of translational medicine at Imperial College London. Others cautioned that the adenovirus infections could be coincidental, because they circulate widely at this [time of year](https://www.financedigest.com/german-tax-revenues-fall-in-august-for-first-time-this-year.html "German tax revenues fall in August for first time this year"). WHAT ARE PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES ADVISING? Public [health alerts in the United States and Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/investment-in-mental-health-amongst-cybersecurity-professionals-set-to-increase-according-to-infosecurity-europe-poll.html "Investment in mental health amongst cybersecurity professionals set to increase according to Infosecurity Europe poll") have asked doctors to be on the lookout for the condition, and to test children for adenovirus if they suspect hepatitis. Symptoms include dark urine, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, light-coloured stools and joint pain. There is no specific [treatment to cure hepatitis but drugs](https://www.financedigest.com/innovation-to-trigger-the-bladder-cancer-treatment-drugs-market.html "Innovation to trigger the Bladder Cancer Treatment Drugs Market") can help to reduce inflammation and other symptoms. Parents are being told to watch out for symptoms and to contact a health professional if they are concerned. To prevent further spread, the British Health [Security Agency](https://www.financedigest.com/the-new-cyber-agency-helping-tech-startups-stay-secure.html "The New Cyber Agency Helping Tech Startups Stay Secure") urged handwashing and “good thorough respiratory hygiene”, such as catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue. Experts said that the rise in case numbers had been relatively [slow but cautioned that more cases were expected](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-set-for-weekly-loss-amid-expectations-fed-will-slow-hikes.html "Dollar set for weekly loss amid expectations Fed will slow hikes"). If you [pay attention](https://www.financedigest.com/why-should-investors-be-paying-more-attention-to-open-source-software.html "Why should investors be paying more attention to open source software?") to a thing, you see more of it,” Buti said. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover in London; Editing by Josephine Mason, Robert Birsel) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---