Many unexplained cases, those of acute hepatitis in children, especially under 5 years (but up to 10). And, as if that weren’t enough, they continue to grow. He updates them with a sore air Philippa Easterbrookdoctor under the Who program, the World Health Organization, on HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and he does so here in the United Kingdom, at the European congress of EASL dedicated to liver diseases, here where it all began, April 5, with the first reports.
Acute hepatitis in children, the adenovirus genome will give us the answers
by Elvira Naselli
In Great Britain, half of the European cases
It is here where acute hepatitis in children affects more than in any other country: Britain has in fact reported 260 cases, more than half of all those registered in Europe (449) and about 30 per cent of those worldwide (894 cases in 23 countries). A growing number: 224 more cases than in May. The United States had 368 cases, more than 40% of the total, fortunately it seems to be decreasing. The inexplicable fact is that the US and the UK together have over 70% of global cases. Reason? It is not known.
Certainly Philippa Easterbrook is a bit disheartened, especially when she has to give the worst data: “We had 44 children who needed a liver transplant – she explains – a little less than 5%, a transplant that was life-saving therapy. And unfortunately we register 8 deaths. Finally, 30% were hospitalized for intensive care, the majority were less than 5 years old. It seems that in the little ones it develops with greater severity ”.
Acute hepatitis in children, the crisis unit for territorial checks is born
The causes? Still unknown
After the numbers, obviously the information on the causes of these acute hepatitis that it is true that there have always been – he specifies Maria Buti |, Easl medical representative for public health – but never with such impressive numbers. And it is the numerical data that makes the difference and alarms the WHO so much that it has decided for a specific communication at the congress of the European Society for Liver Diseases which sees in London, after two years of online development, 5500 specialists from Worldwide.
83% had no Covid vaccine
But there are still no certain causes, we are in the field of hypotheses. The Covid vaccine certainly has nothing to do with it, given that 83% of children were not vaccinated. While, on the other hand, it seems that a previous or ongoing infection with Sars-Cov2 may play a role. Together with the hypothesis that has reigned supreme for some time: a widespread adenovirus. Yes, but why does an adenovirus so widespread (curiosity: a study says it is widespread in UK circles, less so in other countries like Spain) suddenly hits so hard? However, an adenovirus – Easterbrook reasons – was detected only in 53% of the affected children.
Acute hepatitis in children, already 450 cases in Europe. And a (convincing) hypothesis on the Lancet
by Aureliano Stingi
Few and incomplete data
Plus there’s the usual data problem. “We have a complete documentation of about half of the cases – admits Maria Buti – but we have found only two clusters (ie cases related to each other, ed.), So making hypotheses is difficult. Genetics or the immune system response may come into it. It will still take time to establish the causes, but in the meantime a warning to families: if a child has jaundice, the yellowish color typical of hepatitis, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, do not waste time and take him to the pediatrician “.