Studies Probe Adenovirus Link to Childhood Hepatitis Cases

Scientists around the world have been investigating cases of unexplained hepatitis in previously healthy children. The World Health Organization says at least 920 probable cases have been found in 33 countries. 18 deaths have been reported and 5 percent have required a transplant.

Explanations have been hard to come by. There have always been unexplained cases of the disease in children. It's not clear whether the recent cases are part of a new medical phenomenon or if they are related to an underlying cause.

More detailed investigations are providing clues.

There have been two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

There is more circumstantial evidence that adenoviruses may be a factor. In both studies, adenoviruses were found in about 90 percent of children tested, and children who developed acute liver failure or required transplants had higher average levels of the virus in their blood.

One of the new papers says that adenoviruses could be a player. It seems like it's a common signal across the globe.

The evidence isn't conclusive. There was no clear evidence that the adenoviruses were in the cells of the affected children.

An editorial written by Dr. Saul Karpen accompanied the two new papers. That's a main point for me.

A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not find evidence that unexplained hepatitis had become more common among American children.

He said that the new cases may not be frightening. You have to pay attention to it on the other side.

Certain medications, medical conditions, toxins, and heavy alcohol use are some of the causes of the disease.

Normally healthy children are not associated with a family of viruses that cause cold or flu symptoms.

A group of children in Alabama were the first in the US to be diagnosed with adenoviruses.

There are more details in one of the new papers about the children's hospital in Alabama. Nine children with acute, unexplained hepatitis were admitted to the hospital in a five-month period from October 2021. There was a spike in our center.

Eight of the nine children tested positive for an adenoviruses. All but one of the five children's viral samples were found to be adenoviruses 41.

The hospital admitted six children with a known cause of the disease. A review of lab records showed that all but one of the five tested for adenoviruses were negative.

Between January 1 and April 11 of 2022, 44 children with acute, unexplained hepatitis were referred to the children's hospital in Britain. In the previous years, one to five patients were admitted in the same period.

There were 30 children tested for adenoviruses. According to the author of the study, the U.K. Health Security Agency determined that the virus was adenoviruses41.

The picture got more complicated when the scientists looked at some of the affected children. There was no evidence of particles in the cells themselves.

The scientists said it was difficult to determine whether the genetic material came from the liver or the blood, because the samples might have included blood mixed with tissue.

Dr. Kelgeri said, "That leads us to question whether the virus was present but what we are seeing is the aftermath of the viral injury."

She thinks that an adenoviruses may cause an abnormal immune response in some children, which may lead to damage to theLiver.

It's not known why some hospitals are seeing a rise in patients. When the adenoviruses become more prevalent, there could be a rise in the number of cases. There was a report of increased adenoviruses in the broader population.

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Dr. Karpen said that he wasn't sure if there was a link between the adenoviruses and the children's diseases. There needs to be more systematic data collection and analysis.

Dr. Karpen said that he was happy that the registries were being created so that they could know if there was a new disease in town. We need to keep our eyes open.