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Unexplained hepatitis doesn’t seem to be any more common among American children than it was before the Covid-19 outbreak began. according to a recent review Three major medical databases by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Results are part of an ongoing investigation into a surprising set of cases Severe hepatitis or liver inflammation in previously healthy children dating to October 2021. As of 26 May, 650 probable cases had been reported in 33 countries. According to the World Health Organization. Although cases are extremely rare, they can be severe, resulting in liver transplant or death.

Hepatitis A to E has a wide variety of causes, including viruses, toxins, and certain medications. However, in recent case clusters, many of these common causes have been overlooked.

Researchers are exploring a number of possible explanations, including the possibility that the cases may be linked to the pandemic or are due to an adenovirus infection, one of a family of common viruses that typically cause cold and flu-like symptoms. detected in most affected children. (It is also possible that the two factors work in concert. For example, a previous coronavirus infection may make children more vulnerable to a subsequent adenovirus infection.)

Authorities are also trying to determine whether the cases represent a new phenomenon or a new admission of a long-existing phenomenon; There has always been a subset of pediatric hepatitis cases with no clear cause.

In the new study, the researchers found that from October 2021 to March 2022, the number of weekly emergency room visits and monthly hospital admissions recorded in association with pediatric hepatitis from an unspecified cause was not significantly higher than the prepandemic baselines calculated as: until 2017. The study also found that the number of pediatric liver transplants per month did not increase significantly.

To explore the adenovirus hypothesis, the scientists reviewed data from the company Labcorp, which routinely tests pediatric stool samples for adenovirus types 40 and 41, which often cause gastrointestinal symptoms. The scientists found that the share of samples that tested positive was not significantly higher in recent months than in the years before the pandemic.

The findings differ from the authorities’ reports from the UK. reported a small increase in unexplained hepatitis Increase in adenovirus infections among young children in 2022 compared to previous years as well.

Because pediatric hepatitis remains rare, a modest increase will be difficult to detect, the researchers warn, and continued research and monitoring is needed. “In addition to advanced epidemiological research, ongoing assessment of trends will aid in reporting cases of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in US children,” they write.

The authors note that the new study has a number of limitations. The true prevalence is unknown as there is no comprehensive database of cases of unexplained pediatric hepatitis in the United States. There are also delays between when hospitalizations and liver transplants occur and when these outcomes are reported, meaning newer cases may be missing from the analysis.