Illustration of a British hospital corridor, October 3, 2014 @BelgaImage
An analysis of mysterious cases of hepatitis in very young children in the United States led the American health authorities to favor Friday the track of an adenovirus to explain these severe inflammations of the liver, without however establishing it as a definitive cause. Fairly banal viruses, adenoviruses are generally rather known to cause respiratory symptoms, conjunctivitis or even digestive disorders.
A virus affecting a larger population than before?
The United States is far from being the only country affected by this phenomenon of unexplained hepatitis: dozens of cases have been identified all over Europe, raising fears of a new epidemic. “At present we believe that an adenovirus could be the cause of these cases, but other environmental factors are still being studied.“wrote the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the nation’s lead federal public health agency.
More specifically, the CDC points the finger at the so-called “type 41” adenovirus, hitherto best known for causing severe gastroenteritis. Adenoviruses are well identified as causes of hepatitis, but so far only in immunocompromised children (ie whose immune system is weakened).
A total of nine cases identified in Alabama between October 2021 and February 2022 have been studied in detail. The children were approximately one to six years old, and were all otherwise healthy. Most children experienced vomiting and diarrhea, and some respiratory symptoms. Two children had to undergo a liver transplant. All are currently cured or in remission. The nine little patients were found to be carriers of adenovirus. Five cases could be analyzed in the laboratory, and type 41 adenovirus was then detected. The CDC has ruled out several other causes, including Covid-19 infection, and hepatitis A, B, and C viruses.