2022 hepatitis of unknown origin in children
Disease outbreak / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 2022, cases of severe sudden hepatitis of unknown origin in children were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from several countries.[1][2] The outbreak led to a significant interest in adenoviruses, though as of 2023 no definite explanation has been agreed on the cause of the hepatitis.[3]
2022 hepatitis of unknown origin in children | |
---|---|
Disease | Acute hepatitis |
Date | October 2021 – September 2022 |
Confirmed cases | 895 |
Deaths | 18 |
In October 2021, a cluster of cases of severe hepatitis of unknown origin were identified at a children's hospital in the U.S. state of Alabama.[4] Between 5 April and 8 July 2022, 35 countries had reported 1,010 probable cases of acute hepatitis of unknown cause in children.[1] WHO guidance has since recommended the testing of several other viruses in children aged 16 years or younger presenting with an acute hepatitis not caused by hepatitis viruses A–E, where serum aminotransferase levels are higher than 500 IU/L, and other local causes of hepatitis have been excluded.[5]
It is not uncommon for the cause of some hepatitis cases in children to remain unknown.[6] As of September 2022, the cause of the rise in cases remains unknown, although it has been suggested by some UK-studies that a co-infection with adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) and adenovirus or less likely herpesvirus might have caused some.[5][7]