NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. health officials are investigating more than 100 possible cases of mysterious and serious liver disease in children, including 5 deaths.
At least two states have reported suspicious cases since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced they were asking doctors for a shocking case of hepatitis. The cases originated at the end of October in children under 10 years old. So far, only nine cases have been confirmed in Alabama.
“We are building an extensive network to expand our understanding,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler said Friday.
What causes the diseases is not clear. Adenovirus is detected in half of the children, “but we don’t know if it’s the cause,” he said.
There are dozens of adenoviruses, many of which are associated with symptoms such as cold, fever, sore throat, and red eyes. But some versions can cause other problems, including inflammation in the stomach and intestines. Officials are investigating the link to a particular version commonly associated with intestinal inflammation.
U.S. health officials have found no evidence of an unusually large wave of adenoviral infections, though many doctors typically do not.
This week, World Health Organization officials said they had reports of nearly 300 suspected cases in 20 countries.
Most children in the United States are small, almost all are hospitalized, and eight have undergone liver transplants
“It’s still a very rare event,” Butler said. “Most of these cases have been recovered and fully recovered.”
The Secret went back in November, when Alabama health officials began the first study of nine cases of acute hepatitis in children in that state. No one tested positive for the viruses that commonly cause hepatitis. However, the test came back positive for adenovirus.
Butler said no Alabama children have been vaccinated against COVID-19. This fact must be taken into account ”.
Symptoms of hepatitis or inflammation of the liver include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, open stools, joint pain, and jaundice.
In addition to Alabama, states report suspected cases: California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, New York, Tenn Texas, Washington, Wisconsin. Puerto Rico also reported at least one case.
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Source: Huffpost
