London: Thanasis Gavos
Two more children in the UK needed the previous four-day liver transplant after being ill for an unknown cause acute hepatitis which has alarmed medical authorities worldwide.
The UK Health Insurance Agency (UKHSA) announced that out of the 111 cases identified in the country, now ten were deemed to need a transplant. There have been no deaths of children with acute hepatitis.
The UK Health Authority reiterates that the usual viruses that cause the disease have not been detected in sick children, who are mainly under the age of five and who originally had symptoms of gastroenteritis followed by jaundice.
It is also reiterated that there is no link with coronavirus vaccines, as none of the sick children under the age of ten have been vaccinated.
“The information gathered through research is increasingly suggesting that the increase in serious cases of hepatitis may be linked to adenovirus infection, but other causes are still being actively considered,” the UKHSA said in a statement.
Adenovirus was the most common pathogen detected, in 40 of the 53 (75%) cases examined, and only 16% of patients were positive for coronavirus when admitted to hospital.
UKHSA Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections Dr. Mira Chad called on parents and guardians to be on alert for signs of hepatitis, such as jaundice, and to contact a doctor if they are concerned. He also stressed the importance of following basic hygiene rules, such as thoroughly washing children’s hands.
Speaking at a European conference in Lisbon on Monday, she estimated that the lower exposure of children to viruses in the past two years due to lockdowns may have made them more vulnerable.
Indeed, the UKHSA announcement states that the common viruses that infect children is currently more frequent than in the previous two years.
Hepatologists who have spoken to the British media estimate that the cases that have been confirmed may be the “tip of the iceberg”, as parents may consider potentially disturbing symptoms as a simple virus.
In any case, the same doctors emphasize that there is no reason to panic, as in 99% of cases the liver of children can cope with the disease without the need for a transplant or other complication.
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