The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now studying 180 cases of ambiguous hepatitis in children reported in the past seven months, 71 more than were reported earlier this month.
In a statement, the CDC stressed that while this may appear to be a significant increase in cases, most of them “were previous infections”, as the agency is investigating cases that emerged in October 2021.
Not all of the cases discovered are related to the mysterious disease, and the agency noted that some cases may end up unrelated to the current investigation.
“In addition, no deaths have been reported since February 2022, and the proportion of patients requiring liver transplants has decreased from 15 percent to 9 percent since May 5,” the CDC said.
Since the beginning of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s investigation of pediatric hepatitis cases, a possible association with adenovirus has been speculated due to the high rate found in infected patients.
In its update, the CDC said adenovirus was found in nearly half of children with hepatitis, and said it “remains a strong association” as a possible cause.
The agency added that childhood hepatitis remains a rare condition. However, parents should remain aware of the possible symptoms. They include vomiting, dark urine, and light stools. One of the most prominent symptoms of hepatitis is jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin. In people with darker skin, yellowing of the whites of the eyes may be more noticeable if they have jaundice.