[Epoch Times, May 23, 2022](Epoch Times reporter Lin Nan comprehensive report) An outbreak of severe acute hepatitis in children of unknown etiology has spread across the United States, prompting infectious disease experts to urgently seek answers. The hepatitis has so far killed six children.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed a sixth death last week. Over the past seven months, the liver disease outbreak has expanded to 36 states and territories, with 180 adolescent patients, the CDC said.
The number of hepatitis cases has risen by 71 in the past two weeks. But the CDC said most of these patients may have developed the disease weeks or months earlier.
“Not all cases are recent, and some may ultimately not be relevant to the current investigation,” the CDC said in a statement. The agency said testing ruled out some viruses that typically cause hepatitis.
Jay Butler, deputy director of infectious diseases at the CDC, said at the briefing that there were no common patterns of exposure or other infections. Laboratory tests are conducted to take a closer look at the viral genome and other potential pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The CDC is closely monitoring whether there is any link between the hepatitis outbreak and the coronavirus that killed 1 million Americans.
Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health, told USA TODAY that the outbreak is almost certainly not related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The fact is that a large number of cases involve children under the age of 5 who are not eligible for the vaccine,” Nolan said.
Adenovirus was detected in nearly half of the affected children, a finding with a “strong lead,” the CDC said.
Adenoviruses are often associated with much less dangerous diseases, such as pink eye, Nolan noted.
“It’s not uncommon for an adenovirus to cause severe liver damage,” she said. “It could be a new form of adenovirus. Or it could be something entirely new.”
More than 300 cases have accumulated in 20 countries around the world
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in a statement Friday (May 20) that 10 children in Canada have been found to have serious and mysterious cases of hepatitis in the last five months. All 10 children were hospitalized, and two of them required liver transplants. The children were between the ages of 1 and 13 and were sick between November 3, 2021 and April 2 this year.
As of May 10, 74 cases have been identified in the UK. Further investigations are underway to understand the etiology of these cases.
The UK notified WHO in April of 10 cases in central Scotland in children aged between 11 months and 5 years who were healthy before the onset of symptoms. Of the 10 cases, nine developed symptoms in March this year and one in January. Symptoms include jaundice, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
In these cases, laboratory testing ruled out hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, while in some cases SARS-CoV-2 and/or SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, were detected. or adenovirus. The UK has recently observed increased activity of adenovirus co-circulating with SARS-CoV-2. Although the role of these viruses in pathogenesis is unclear.
To date, no other epidemiological risk factors have been identified, including recent international travel.
Overall, the etiology of these hepatitis cases remains unknown at this time, and active investigations are ongoing, while laboratory testing for other infections, chemicals, and toxins is ongoing in identified cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on May 10 that there have been 348 cases of unknown hepatitis in children in 20 countries around the world, and another 13 countries are investigating 70 possible cases.
According to the current survey results, 70% of children infected with unknown hepatitis tested positive for adenovirus and 18% for new coronavirus.
Responsible editor: Li Qiong#