“Approximately 106” cases of pediatric acute hepatitis of unknown etiology have been detected in the EU since the start of the alarm following the increase in the spread of the disease in the United Kingdom.
This is what the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Ecdc) announces in its latest report. The countries of the EU or the European Economic Area where the cases have been detected are 14, of which 35 reported in Italy and 22 in Spain.
Cases of hepatitis with known etiology were not included in the protocol. According to the ECDC, there are 450 reported cases worldwide, with 11 deaths.
Acute hepatitis in children, the crisis unit for territorial checks is born
05 Maggio 2022
The alert was launched on 5 April by the UK. Since then, the level of attention has risen in all countries and, the ECDC points out, “it is not yet clear whether the cases identified following the alert are part of a real increase compared to the basal rate of hepatitis of unknown etiology in children”.
Still many hypotheses on the causes
Both the etiology and the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease are still under study. “A possible association with current adenovirus infection has been found in cases in the UK in particular, but other hypotheses and possible cofactors are being investigated. Most cases continue to be reported as sporadic unrelated cases.
In Italy the highest figure in the EU
The cases detected in the EU / See were reported according to the ECDC / WHO case definition (which includes those classified as confirmed, probable and related cases, i.e. patients who have been in close contact with a probable case). The cases identified in the EU / See were reported by 14 countries. The highest figure is the Italian one, followed by the Spanish budget (22 cases), while all the other countries are under ten.
The case of the United Kingdom
Outside the EU, the UK figure stands out, which as of May 3, 2022 identified a total of 163 children under 16 with these acute hepatitis of unknown origin, of which 11 received liver transplants according to Ukhsa. (Uk Health Security Agency).
Acute hepatitis in children, the adenovirus genome will give us the answers
by Elvira Naselli
April 28, 2022
Outside the EU / See and the United Kingdom, as of May 10th there were at least 181 cases, reported by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Panama, Palestine, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea and United States (where 109 cases are concentrated).
On April 28, the ECDC, publishing its rapid risk assessment for these cases, established that the data be reported in the European surveillance system (Tessy), based on a defined protocol that encourages countries to do so. A report based on the data that will be reported in this system is expected shortly. The ECDC “will continue to monitor with its epidemiological ‘intelligence’ activities”.