The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 109 cases of severe hepatitis in children, including 5 deaths, to determine the cause of adenovirus infection as a primary line of investigation, health authorities said. public said Friday.
More than 90% of children are hospitalized and 14% need a liver transplant, according to the CDC. The incidents under investigation occurred over the past seven months across 25 states and territories. According to the CDC, the majority of patients have fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver usually caused by a viral infection, but environmental factors may also play a role. It is not uncommon in children but is usually not serious.
More than half of the children had a confirmed adenovirus infection. However, CDC officials said they still don’t know if the adenovirus is the actual cause. Adenovirus is a common virus that often causes mild cold or flu-like symptoms, or stomach and intestinal problems. It is not a known cause of severe hepatitis in otherwise healthy children, although it has been associated with illness in children with weakened immune systems.
“We also don’t know yet how other factors may play a role, such as environmental exposure, medications, or other infections a child may have,” said Dr. CDC’s Infectious Diseases Department, told reporters. Friday.
Butler said the Covid-19 vaccination is not the cause of the disease. The kids had an average age of two, meaning most of them weren’t eligible for the vaccine. The CDC is still investigating whether there is a link to the Covid-19 virus, Butler said. However, the initial nine cases in Alabama children with severe hepatitis did not have Covid.
According to the CDC, hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses were not found in children during initial investigations.
Butler said the US has not noticed an increase in adenovirus infections based on available data. However, Dr. Umesh Parashar, a CDC official, said the US does not have a good national system to conduct virus surveillance. Butler said the CDC is working to improve its surveillance.
The CDC also hasn’t recorded a significant increase in childhood hepatitis cases or liver transplants, but that’s based on preliminary data and is subject to change, Butler said. However, the UK – the first country to alert the world to the problem – has recorded a significant increase, he said.
Butler said: “We know this update can be worrying, especially for parents and guardians of young children. It’s important to remember that severe hepatitis in children is rare, ‘ Butler said. Parents should take standard precautions to prevent infection with the virus, including washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, not touching eyes, nose or mouth, and avoiding people who are sick, he said. speak.
Symptoms of hepatitis include vomiting, dark urine, light-colored stools, and jaundice. Butler said: “Parents should contact their medical provider if there are any concerns.
The CDC issued a nationwide health alert in late April about a cluster of severe hepatitis cases in nine children in Alabama. The World Health Organization is also closely monitoring the situation and has identified cases of severe hepatitis of unknown cause in children in at least 11 countries.
CDC is investigating cases in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania , Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
