The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday that they are investigating 109 cases of severe and unexplained hepatitis in children in 25 states and territories that may be associated with a global epidemic.
Many children needed transplants as well five have died. Almost all children – over 90% – needed to be hospitalized.
THE Dr. Jay Butler, CDC Deputy Director of Infectious Diseases, stressed that research – a collaboration between the CDC and the state health services – is an evolving situation. Not all hepatitis cases being studied now can be caused by the same thing.
“We use a wide net to broaden our understanding.” said Butler.
Hepatitis, or swelling of the liver, can be caused by infections, autoimmune diseases, drugs and toxins. A family of viruses known to infect the liver causes hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
It is not yet clear what causes these cases in young children. Butler said some of the common causes of viral hepatitis have been investigated but not found in any of the cases. The adenovirus has been detected in more than 50% of cases, although its role is unclear.
CNN
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