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The World Health Organization (WHO) He said he has found no relationship between cases of what appears to be a new type of acute childhood hepatitis and the consumption of any type of food, medication, or the covid-19 vaccine.
“The causes are still under deep investigation. We are looking at a number of underlying factors, infectious and non-infectious, that could be causing the cases,” said the WHO specialist, Philippa Easterbrook.
From what has been observed, the presence of the viruses that cause the different types of known hepatitis (A, B, C, D, or E) is ruled out, as well as bacteria that cause gastroenteritis in children.
He also clarified that “there is nothing to indicate a relationship with the covid vaccine, since a large majority of children (in whom the disease has been detected) have not received this vaccine“.
So far, the WHO has received reports of 169 cases of this new hepatitis in twelve countries and in seven cases (one in ten) the condition has been so serious that it has required a liver transplant and a minor has died.
On reports of a possible link to an adenovirus, Eeastbrook He said that it is a hypothesis that is being studied since it has been detected in 74 of the 169 cases.
Adenoviruses are a group of very common viruses that are spread from person to person and often cause respiratory and digestive tract infections, particularly in children.
However, the expert explained that “it is very unusual for an adenovirus to cause such severe symptoms” and that is why it is important to continue doing systematic diagnostic tests for infectious and non-infectious causes.
Those affected are between one month and 16 years old, suffering from symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, yellowing of the skin and have an elevated level of liver enzymes. Those affected do not have a fever.
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