At least 230 cases of severe acute hepatitis of still unknown origin in sick children, particularly in Europe, have been identified, indicates the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday. In France, 2 cases have been reported, they are being analyzed. The WHO continues to receive dozens of reports of these cases which affect the whole world but mainly Europe and which started in the United Kingdom.
This hepatitis mainly affects children under the age of 10, and is manifested by symptoms such as jaundice, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Some cases required liver transplantation. At least one child has died. The usual viruses that cause acute viral hepatitis (A to E) were not detected in any of the cases, according to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and WHO. An analysis of these mysterious cases of hepatitis in the United States led the American health authorities to favor the track of an adenovirus last week without however establishing it as a definitive cause.
Commonplace, adenoviruses are generally rather known to cause respiratory symptoms, conjunctivitis or even digestive disorders. Transmission occurs by the faecal-oral or respiratory route, with epidemic peaks often in winter and spring, and more often in communities (nurseries, schools, etc.). The majority of humans are infected before they are 5 years old. Their role in the development of mysterious hepatitis, however, remains unclear.
The Ministry of Health asks all healthcare professionals to report any suspected cases. They must complete a 6-page form indicating, for example, if the child has had Covid, if he suffers from asthma, obesity, what medications he has taken recently. Doctors must also take samples and send them to the reference center in Créteil, in Val-de-Marne.
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