Mystery hepatitis continues to spread

New outbreak was reported in Asia and Canada, while more than 200 cases are currently recorded on a global level.

With infection rates for Mystery Hepatitis - a new acute liver disease affecting children - going up daily, doctors are now investigating new cases recently reported in Japan and Canada.

The patient in Japan had no liver transplant, yet showed signs of acute hepatitis, while testing negative for both adenovirus and Covid-19. The case was reported by the authorities in Japan on April 21. The mysterious disease also emerged in Canada, with the country’s Public Health Agency stating that multiple severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin cases are currently under observation. The number of affected children was not disclosed to the public.

190 cases of mystery hepatitis have been reported so far across Europe, Unites States and Israel. The most common symptoms were jaundice, diarrhoea and pain in the abdomen. In order to survive the disease, 17 children were given liver transplants.

According to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) the mystery liver inflammation affected children between one month and 16 years. Unfortunately, one child died from the disease.

Usually, hepatitis is caused by a family of contagious viruses, though this time not found in the affected individuals. New theories aiming to explain the cause of the disease are being investigated by the UK Health Security Agency, as more than 75 percent of the affected children presented signs of adenovirus infection.

A mutated virus is considered to be at the origin of the outbreak. According to officials, no connection between the cases and the Covid-19 vaccines was found.

Moreover, “there is no connection between the cases and no association to travel” added Andrea Ammon, director at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm.

 

source: theguardian.com