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After dozens of cases abroad, Belgium has also reported a case of a still unknown form of hepatitis in children to the World Health Organization (WHO). According to Sciensano virologist Steven Van Gucht, there is no reason to panic.
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The United Kingdom in particular has recently identified dozens of children with the previously unknown form of hepatitis, or liver inflammation. Also in the Netherlands, the government service RIVM asked doctors and healthcare providers this week to be alert to children with acute liver inflammation, after four Dutch children had to be treated.
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Not much is known about the disease yet. For the time being, she only appeared in children under the age of sixteen and does not appear to be harmless. Seventeen children had to undergo a liver transplant, one child died from the consequences of acute liver inflammation.
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Investigation into the cause is ongoing. ‘We do not know whether there is a common cause, let alone whether this is caused by a virus,’ explains Van Gucht. ‘Adenovirus was found in the stool, but that could also be a coincidence.’
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Adenovirus is very common in children and is widely distributed. It usually causes a respiratory infection or an eye, ear or throat infection. Rarely, more serious infections occur, according to Child & Family.
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Different hypotheses
It is certainly not one of the usual hepatitis viruses. In addition to a possible link with the adenovirus, the WHO is investigating other hypotheses, because infection with an adenovirus in healthy children has never led to hepatitis.
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For example, the World Health Organization is studying whether an increased susceptibility due to a lower circulation of adenoviruses during the corona pandemic could be the basis. Or the emergence of a new adenovirus, or a combination with an infection with the corona virus.
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There is currently no substantiation for hypotheses about side effects of covid vaccines, since the vast majority of infected children were not given a covid vaccine.
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No connection has been found with the corona vaccines. ‘There is as yet no substantiation for hypotheses about side effects of covid vaccines, since the vast majority of infected children were not given a covid vaccine’, states the WHO emphatically.
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So far, no other epidemiological risk factor, such as a recent trip abroad, has been identified either.
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