The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a statement about several cases of acute hepatitis, with unknown origin, appearing in the UK. According to the WHO, 74 cases were identified in the UK up until April 8th—many of the cases affecting children under the age of 10. Although numerous tests were conducted to determine the source of the disease, known hepatitis viruses A, B, C, E, and D have already been excluded.
Numerous health organizations around the world have been closely following the epidemic of acute hepatitis in Europe ever since it emerged, but the origin of the disease remains unknown. New cases have been reported in different countries, including the UK, Spain, Israel, the US, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Romania, and Belgium. The confirmed 169 cases have affected children aged 1 month to 16 years old—and seventeen of these patients required a liver transplantation, according to the WHO. Even more concerning is the fact that at least one death has been reported as a consequence of the recent hepatitis outbreak.
What hepatitis is and how to treat it
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver, caused by a viral infection or liver damage. The liver is one of the most important and largest organs of the body, and it processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. An inflamed or damaged liver compromises these vital functions. Excessive alcohol use, toxins, drugs, and unrelated diseases can cause hepatitis. Still, hepatitis is most often caused by a virus.
In the US, most forms of hepatitis are caused by virus strains like hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. An estimated 2.4 million Americans are already infected with hepatitis C, while about 50,300 new cases have emerged in 2018 alone. Hepatitis B is less common, but approximately 862,000 Americans live with the virus, and around 22,600 new infections were discovered in 2018. When it comes to milder hepatitis A, about 24,900 new infections occur in the US each year. While vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B, hepatitis C is now the leading cause of liver transplants and liver cancer—and half of those infected are unaware that they have hepatitis C.
Treating a disease of unknown origin
Even though most cases of hepatitis are caused by an infection with known hepatitis viruses A, B, C, E, and D, and some appear as a consequence of heavy alcohol use, toxins, medications, or other diseases, the origin of the cases in Europe remains unknown. Moreover, the CDC has recently released a statement about a cluster of nine cases of hepatitis recently discovered in Alabama. According to the national public health agency, all nine cases involved children that developed hepatitis of unknown cause. The children also tested positive for the Adenovirus, and some of them also tested positive for Epstein-Barr Virus.
When it comes to the hepatitis cases in Europe, the Adenovirus has been detected in at least 74 cases—prompting scientists to believe that this common pathogen could explain the hepatitis outbreak. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was also identified in 20 cases of the patients tested. Although the CDC says that the Adenovirus may be the cause of the hepatitis cases in Alabama, the agency does not exclude other potential environmental and situational factors yet. “Adenovirus type 41 is not usually known as a cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children,” the CDC statement reads, while the WHO suggests more information is needed to establish the origin.
For now, countries around the world are urged to remain alert to any hepatitis cases in children with no known cause, and patients are being cared for with supportive treatments. However, many children have already undergone liver transplantation as a consequence of the disease, and at least one has lost the battle to the infection.
