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A string of severe cases of hepatitis in children in Alabama prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a report. nationwide health warning On Wednesday, he urged doctors and health officials to watch out for and report similar cases.
Authorities are investigating the possibility that an adenovirus, one of a group of common viruses that can cause cold symptoms as well as gastroenteritis, pink eye and other ailments, may be responsible.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that has a wide variety of causes, including viruses, chemical exposures, certain medications, and other medical conditions.
Alabama Department of Public Health, recorded nine cases of unexplained hepatitis in healthy children under 10 years of age, which occurred between last October and February. None of the children died, but several developed liver failure and two required liver transplants.
All nine children tested positive for adenovirus infections. Many were determined to have what is known as adenovirus type 41, which typically causes diarrhea, vomiting, and respiratory symptoms.
Adenoviruses are known to cause hepatitis, though typically in immunocompromised children.
A pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Dr. “It is not typical for it to cause complete liver failure in healthy children,” said Aaron Milstone.
The agency said the CDC has ruled out some common causes of liver inflammation in the Alabama cases, including the hepatitis A, B, and C viruses. in a statement on Thursday.
“At this time, we believe adenovirus may be the cause of these reported cases, but researchers are still learning more – including ruling out other possible causes and identifying other possible contributing factors,” the agency said.
similar cases recently reported in the UK.
Experts emphasized that many questions remain about rare cases of hepatitis.
An infectious disease physician at Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. “It’s important not to panic,” said Richard Malley. “But I think it’s important, for all the reasons you can imagine, that the CDC is asking clinicians across the country to be on the lookout.”
“A number of cases, particularly in this age group, are definitely something to watch closely,” said epidemiologist Bertha Hidalgo of the University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Public Health.
While it is possible that an adenovirus is a cause, the link has not been proven. Doctors noted that adenovirus infections are common in children and that children may have been accidentally infected with the virus.
Experts said that so far there is no clear link with the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Although a few of the English children coronavirus test positiveNone of the Alabama children had Covid, according to the CDC
Dr. Milstone said he thinks a link with the coronavirus is “unlikely” but cannot be completely ruled out. “You should put a question mark there,” he said.
The agency is asking healthcare providers to test children with unexplained hepatitis for adenovirus infections and report these cases to health authorities.
Symptoms of severe hepatitis include prolonged fever, severe abdominal pain and jaundice, yellowing of the skin and eyes; Dr. Caregivers who observe these symptoms should contact the child’s pediatrician immediately, Malley said. He added that even severe cases of hepatitis are treatable.
And if the cases have a viral cause, the same strategies many families use to reduce their risk of Covid, including hand washing, coughing and sneezing, would be helpful prevention strategies.
Dr. “All these things they’ve learned about how to protect their kids from Covid will help protect their kids from other viruses,” said Milstone.
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