Mysterious Global Hepatitis Outbreak

[nivek]

Is there a new pandemic beginning?...

CDC launches investigation into nine cases of 'severe' hepatitis detected in children in Alabama - 74 case outbreak detected by UK officials

A virus which causes the common cold may be behind a string of hepatitis cases in Alabama, health officials say. Nine children — all under six years old — have come down with severe cases of the inflammatory liver condition since October. At least one suffered acute liver failure.

In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched an investigation into the potential cause. The condition is normally triggered by hepatitis viruses A to E, but officials are thought to have already ruled this out.

They are instead focusing on adenoviruses — one of the causes of the common cold — which five of the patients have so far tested positive for. At least one other case has been detected in another un-named U.S. state, the Alabama Department of Health says.

The U.S. is now the third country in the world to report the mysterious hepatitis, after the UK and Spain recorded 74 and three cases in under-10s over this week.

None of the children in the UK have tested positive for any of the hepatitis viruses. Alabama health officials have not revealed where the cases were detected, but are now searching for other victims in the area and in neighboring states. There are no links between the nine children, and none had underlying health conditions putting them at risk from hepatitis.

A CDC spokeswoman said the agency 'is aware of and working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate nine cases of hepatitis in children — ranging from one to six years old — who also tested positive for adenovirus since October 2021.

'CDC is working with state health departments to see if there are additional U.S. cases, and what may be causing these cases. 'At this time adenovirus may be the cause for these, but investigators are still learning more — including ruling out the more common causes.'

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[nivek]

Have the children infected with hepatitis also been vaccinated with either of the mRNA covid vaccines?...Just curious, I think its a possible connection that should be ruled out or confirmed...

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[nivek]

Hepatitis outbreak: Six children needed emergency liver transplants after falling ill

Public Health Scotland previously confirmed cases affecting children between the ages of one and five in the Fife, Lanarkshire, Tayside and Greater Glasgow and Clyde health-board areas.

There have been 49 cases in England, 13 in Scotland and 12 across both Wales and Northern Ireland, all of which have occurred since January.

The WHO was told about 10 cases of severe acute hepatitis in youngsters in Scotland’s central belt on April 5, and three days later the organisation said it had been notified about 74 cases across the UK.

It warned that, given the increase in cases reported over the past month and a ramping up of search efforts, more cases were likely to be reported in the coming days.

Of the cases reported, the WHO said, some have had to be transferred to specialist children’s liver units and six children have undergone liver transplantation.

As of April 11 no death has been reported among these cases and one epidemiologically linked case has been detected, WHO said.

Dr Meera Chand, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UK Health Security Agency, said its officials were working across the four nations to “investigate a wide range of possible factors which may be causing children to be admitted to hospital with liver inflammation known as hepatitis.

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[nivek]

Weakened immune system from the mRNA vaccines perhaps?...

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CDC issues alert after mystery hepatitis outbreak among dozens of kids in the US and UK who have been hit with the liver disease 'because of weakened immune systems from lockdown'

U.S. health officials have sent out a nationwide alert warning doctors to be on the lookout for symptoms of unexplained hepatitis in kids, after clusters of mysterious cases in the US and UK. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding its probe after scores of young children came down with severe liver inflammation, but did not have the viruses hepatitis A, B, or C that usually cause it. In the alert on Thursday, the CDC said it is working with counterparts in Europe to understand the cause of the infections, and urged doctors across the country to report potential cases. A common cold virus known as an adenovirus has been confirmed in several of the European cases, but not all.

 

[nivek]

Hepatitis cases in children may just be the 'tip of the iceberg', UK expert claims as fears over the mysterious global outbreak which has officially killed one youngster and sickened 169 begin to grow

Dozens of mysterious hepatitis cases spotted in children could be just 'the tip of the iceberg', experts warned Monday amid growing concerns about the mysterious global outbreak.

Nearly 170 children around the world have been sickened since the first case was detected in Scotland at the end of March, according to the World Health Organization. One child has died and 17 have needed liver transplants as a result.

Eleven of these cases have been detected in the U.S., including nine in Alabama and two in North Carolina.

Leading virologists fear the real toll of the infection could actually be magnitudes higher because many parents may brush off the warning signs.

Jaundice — the yellowing of the skin or eyes, a tell-tale sign of liver disease — has been spotted in fewer than half of the ill children. Other symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea, lethargy and stomach pains are usually put down to other illnesses, such as food poisoning or norovirus.

'I think there are more cases out there. [17 transplants] is quite a high number for how many cases we have spotted,' Simon Taylor-Robinson, a hepatologist from Imperial College London, in the UK, told MailOnline.

'I'd imagine there are more cases than have been reported — but they are likely to be less severe,' he added, then saying he agreed that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Twelve countries have spotted cases of the hepatitis of unknown origin, with the 114 cases detected in the UK leading the way.



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[nivek]

This appears to be turning into an epidemic...

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[nivek]

Doctor fears mysterious spike of acute cases could be COVID-linked

Sick children with unexplained hepatitis are most likely to test positive for adenovirus, according to data from England. Covid is the second most likely virus for them to test positive for. The graph above was presented today at a briefing from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases based in Lisbon, Portugal.

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[nivek]

Another TWO hepatitis-stricken children in UK have needed liver transplants as parents are told to 'be alert' for illness signs amid global outbreak that has killed one youngster and sickened dozens amid fears that Covid lockdowns weakened immunity

Ten youngsters in the UK have now undergone the liver transplant procedure, with 114 now known to have been struck down by the peculiar illness. UK Health Security Agency bosses today called on parents to 'be alert' to the signs of the liver disease, which has been spotted in 12 different countries, including the US, Ireland and Spain. One child has died so far.


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[nivek]

Three probable cases of hepatitis are probed in Illinois - with one requiring a liver transplant: Experts warn recent spike may be just 'tip of the iceberg'

All the children are under ten years old and one has required a liver transplant, the state's health department said. If they are confirmed, they will bring the U.S. total for hepatitis to 14.

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[nivek]

Now Japan and Canada probe mystery hepatitis in children as global outbreak spreads - bringing countries with cases to 14

Suspected cases of the mysterious hepatitis sweeping the world have now been detected in children in Japan and Canada. Canada's Public Health Agency yesterday revealed it was 'aware of reports of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin' in the country.

And Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that a patient under the age of 16 was hospitalised with hepatitis on April 21.

Officials did not reveal their age, sex or location — but said they tested negative for adenovirus, believed to be the culprit of the global outbreak, and Covid.

The patient meets the working definition for a 'probable case' of the hepatitis cases already confirmed in countries like the UK, US and Spain officials said.

Nearly 200 children have been sickened by the condition across the world in up to 14 countries since last October. One has died and 17 have needed liver transplants.

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[nivek]

From The Guardian...

Global mystery hepatitis outbreak spreads to Asia and Canada

A mysterious liver disease that has infected children in a dozen countries around the world has reached Asia, with a case reported in Japan.

The case in Japan of acute hepatitis – or inflammation of the liver – of unknown origin was flagged by local authorities on 21 April in a child who had tested negative for adenovirus – a possible cause being investigated worldwide – and Covid-19. The patient had not had a liver transplant, the health ministry said on Monday, without giving further details.

Canada’s Public Health Agency said on Tuesday it was investigating reports of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin in young children. It did not reveal the number of cases or their location.

So far across the world, 190 mystery cases of acute hepatitis in children have been reported, with 140 of them in Europe, mostly in the UK (110 cases). Further cases have been found in Israel and in the United States. Seventeen children became so sick they needed liver transplants.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a nationwide health alert last week that the first US cases were identified in October in Alabama. The first UK cases were recorded in January.

On Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said at least one death had been reported in connection the outbreak. The UN health agency said the cases were reported in children aged between one month and 16 years. The WHO did not say in which country the death occurred.

Hepatitis is usually caused by one of several contagious hepatitis viruses, but these have not been found in the affected children. Jaundice, diarrhoea and abdominal pain are among reported symptoms.

One theory being investigated by the UK Health Security Agency is that a lack of exposure to the common adenovirus – which usually causes stomach upsets and colds – during the coronavirus pandemic has led to more severe illness among children. Of 53 cases tested in the UK, 40 (75%) showed signs of adenovirus infection.

Public Health Scotland’s director, Jim McMenamin, told Reuters that work was under way to understand if an adenovirus has mutated to cause more severe disease, or if it could be causing the problems “in tandem” with another virus, including possibly Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

UK officials said there was “no link” between the cases and the Covid-19 vaccine, because none of the children affected by hepatitis had received a jab.

Andrea Ammon, director at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm, said: “So far there is no connection between the cases and no association to travel.”

The disease appeared in previously healthy children, Ammon said.

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[nivek]

Child dies of suspected hepatitis in Wisconsin as mystery outbreak sweeps the world: 20 cases now in US and 200 globally - with at least 18 kids needing liver transplants

A child has died of suspected hepatitis in the US, with six states now investigating cases of the mystery illness sweeping the world.

Wisconsin's Department of Health Services announced four youngsters have been struck down with unusual liver damage. One died and another needed a transplant, officials said.

If the death is confirmed to be down to the unusual type of hepatitis, it would be the first confirmed in the US and second in the world.

Cases of the peculiar illness have already been spotted in Alabama, North Carolina and Delaware. Health chiefs in Illinois and New York are currently probing reports of similar occurrences.

In total, there have been at least 20 suspected cases in the US.

Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, said the cause of the illness is 'still a mystery'.

Nearly 200 children have been sickened by the condition across the world in up to 14 countries. At least 18 have needed liver transplants.

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[nivek]

California detects seven cases of severe hepatitis in children and Wisconsin reports America's first suspected death from the mystery outbreak as it sweeps the globe: 27 cases now in US and 200 globally



California's department of health said the cases were in 'young' children, who had all been taken ill since October. It takes the U.S. total for suspected hepatitis cases to 27, with the condition now being spotted across seven states - mostly east of the Mississippi river. Wisconsin has reported one suspected death from the condition in a child.Cases of the peculiar illness have already been spotted in Alabama , North Carolina and Delaware . Health chiefs in Illinois and New York are currently probing reports of similar occurrences. The cause of the mysterious illness remains a 'mystery', chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden Dr Anthony Fauci says. But experts have raised concerns that lockdowns weakening immunity in children, or even previous Covid infections could be behind the spate of cases.

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[nivek]

@The shadow this illness is spreading through kids, keep an eye on your children...

Wisconsin probes 4 mystery child hepatitis cases, including one death

Wisconsin health authorities are investigating four cases of childhood hepatitis, including one young patient who died after suffering severe liver damage – potentially marking the first fatality related to the illness in the US.

The state was the fourth to report a mysterious outbreak of the disease, following Alabama, North Carolina and Illinois.

In a health alert, state health authorities asked local doctors to be on the lookout for symptoms of the rare liver disease in children and to report them to the agency.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Saturday that a dozen countries have reported 169 cases of acute hepatitis among children, 114 of them in the UK.

Patients ranged from one month to 16 years old, and more common forms of liver disease – hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C – were ruled out, the health organization said.

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[nivek]

Three children die from hepatitis in Indonesia bringing global death toll to four amid outbreak | Daily Mail Online

Three children in Indonesia have died from a mysterious hepatitis which, if confirmed, would bring the global death toll to at least four.

Their symptoms included nausea, vomiting, heavy diarrhea, fever, jaundice, seizures and loss of consciousness — all tell-tale signs of the deadly liver disease.

Tests are underway to confirm their cause of death. Indonesia has not officially logged any cases of hepatitis since the outbreak began.

The ages of the children have not been revealed and it is not clear if they had underlying health conditions.

More than 200 child hepatitis cases of unknown origin have been confirmed worldwide in the mystery outbreak - which experts say is just the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Most of the cases have been detected in the UK and US, which have some of the strongest surveillance systems.

The World Health Organization has confirmed one death, although it did not reveal the location. One fatality in the US is being probed, along with the three in Indonesia. At least 18 of the youngsters have required liver transplants.

None of the cases tested positive for normal hepatitis-causing viruses, which has left scientists puzzled about the origins of the disease.

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[nivek]

Growing number of U.S. states reporting mysterious hepatitis outbreaks among children

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national health alert regarding a mysterious cluster of severe hepatitis in pediatric patients in Alabama, at least ten additional states are reporting similar cases that are now part of larger international outbreak, according to an ABC7 Chicago report.

The children are between the ages of 1 month to 16 years old with typical symptoms of acute hepatitis, including jaundice, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

The CDC reported the first cases in Alabama did not have significant medical problems, and ranged from ages younger than two to older than five years old, with five out of nine patients contracting adenovirus type 41, the virus known to cause the common cold.

But the agency noted the liver biopsies from the six patients who showed varying degree of hepatitis did not reveal any evidence of adenovirus on pathology, according to a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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[nivek]

South Dakota probes hepatitis case in child under 10 years old, becoming the 12th US state to report the disease: Cases rise to at least 32 with one death in Wisconsin

South Dakota is now probing a case of child hepatitis, becoming the twelfth state to report the disease — after a child in Wisconsin died from the condition.

Health chiefs in the state said the patient was less than 10 years old and lived in Brown County, on the North Dakota border.

It takes the U.S. total to at least 32 confirmed or suspected cases of unexplained hepatitis, including five liver transplants and one death.

Four children are thought to have died from the disease globally, after Indonesia said it was investigating three fatalities.

More than 220 cases have been spotted to date — most in the UK — and there have been 18 liver transplants, but experts warn this could be just the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Scientists are puzzled by the spate of cases because none of the affected children have tested positive for normal hepatitis-causing viruses.

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[nivek]

Now Ohio reports seven cases of mysterious hepatitis in children as young as 18 months - with one requiring a liver transplant, taking US total to 39 with one death in Wisconsin

Seven more cases were reported in Ohio in children aged between 18 months and 10 years old. All were treated at Cincinnati children's hospital. North Dakota has also reported a case.

 

[nivek]

CDC sounds alarm after at least five children die from mysterious disease

U.S. health officials are looking into more than 100 possible cases of a mysterious and severe liver disease in children, including five deaths.

About two dozen states reported suspected cases after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a call for doctors to be on the lookout for surprising cases of hepatitis. The cases date back to late October in children under 10. So far, only nine cases in Alabama have been confirmed.

"We are casting a wide net to broaden our understanding," the CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler said Friday. Butler explained that though the CDC is "casting a wide net" in its investigation, not all of the cases may be linked to the same cause.

"Investigators both here and across the globe are hard at work to determine the cause," Butler continued. What's causing the illnesses isn't clear. Adenovirus was detected in half the children, "but we do not know if it is the cause," he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a press briefing that the infections across 25 states may be connected to a global outbreak of the disease that has killed multiple children. This week, there have been 300 probable cases in 20 countries, according to the World Health Organization.

In the U.S., 94% of the children were hospitalized and eight received liver transplants.

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[nivek]

Five healthy children aged 10 and under have died in mysterious hepatitis outbreak in the US: 109 cases have been identified in 24 states and 14% of infected kids have needed liver transplants, CDC announces



Five children have died from unexplained hepatitis in the US and more than 100 cases have been spotted across 25 states, the CDC revealed today. The agency's deputy director for infectious diseases Dr Jay Butler (right) revealed they were now probing whether exposure to animals — including pet dogs — could be behind the spate of cases. It comes after officials in the UK — where more than 160 cases have been detected — also said they were looking into the link after finding a 'high' number of children with hepatitis had pet dogs or were exposed to them. Butler said they were still looking into whether Covid or a previous Covid infection may have triggered the cases.

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