Cases have been reported in Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, as well as the UK. Some have even resulted in such severe forms that they require liver transplantation. The causes are unknown to date.
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Concern for i cases of acute and severe viral hepatitis of unknown origin that are affecting children under 10, in some cases with forms so severe as to cause organ failure, in various European countries: first it was Scotland, England and Spain, then other reports came from Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and the USA. The update is from the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Ecdc), which reiterates its call to “report and share information”.
Acute hepatitis in children, the causes
“The trigger of the current cases of hepatitis is still considered unknown and remains the subject of active investigation – the WHO said in recent days – Laboratory tests are underway for the cases identified to understand the role of further infections, chemicals or toxins ” . An infectious origin would be considered as the most probable cause but the cases are not related to known viral hepatitis, such as A, B, C, E. Among the hypotheses, there is that of a link with Covid-19 or with others forms of viral infections, such as adenovirus, as both viruses have been found in some of the young patients. no link to the Covid-19 vaccine has been identified.
No cases reported in Italy
Therefore, while investigations continue to shed light on the causes, no cases are reported in Italy for now, as also confirmed by Franco Locatelli, president of the Superior Health Council and professor of paediatrics at the University of Pavia. “Unfortunately, some cases have also resulted in such significant forms as to require a liver transplantation“, He recalled, specifying that” to date we have no evidence there is a correlation with the new coronavirus “, therefore with Covid.
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“But these cases – highlighted the expert – once again testify to the need to have gods epidemiological monitoring systems extraordinarily efficient, to intercept all that is the emergence of communicable diseases. It is an investment that must be largely encouraged and implemented in the country “.
In any case, even in our country the level of attention towards them is rising. The Regional Infectious Diseases Surveillance Service (Seresmi) of the Spallanzani Institute has sent all the structures of the Regional Health Service an update of the communications forwarded by the Ministry of Health on ECDC reports. “In our region – says the councilor for Health of the Lazio Region, Alessio D’Amato – so far no case has been reported, but in any case since Thursday of last week, with a circular from the Health Department, it was high level of attentionproviding all facilities in the network with the diagnostic algorithm recommended in the United Kingdom and requesting the reporting of cases of children with acute hepatitis, excluding diagnoses of hepatitis A to E. “The most common symptoms include yellowing of the skin and sclera of the eyes, pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, nausea and vomiting.