Symptoms of mysterious liver disease affecting children, Covid links
Health experts are investigating the likely cause of a new children’s liver disease, which was first reported in the U.K. in January 2022, and whether it bears any connection to the coronavirus.
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Japan has detected its first probable case of a mysterious liver disease that has so far affected over 170 children, largely in Britain, as health experts explore its possible links to Covid-19.
Japan’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that a child had been hospitalized with an unidentified type of severe acute hepatitis — or liver inflammation — in what is thought to be the first reported case in Asia.
As of April 23, at least 169 cases of the disease have been detected in 11 countries globally, according to the World Health Organization. The vast majority of those have been in the U.K. (114), followed by Spain (13), Israel (12) and the U.S. (9). The addition of Japan marks the 12th country to identify a case.
Of those infected, one child has died and 17 have required liver transplants.
The WHO said it is “very likely more cases will be detected before the cause can be confirmed.”
Health experts explore Covid links
“Information gathered through our investigations increasingly suggests that this rise in sudden onset hepatitis in children is linked to adenovirus infection. However, we are thoroughly investigating other potential causes,” Meera Chand, UKHSA’s director of clinical and emerging infections, said.
Adenovirus was the most common pathogen detected in 40 of 53 (75%) of confirmed cases tested in the U.K. Globally, that number was 74.
Covid (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in 20 cases of those tested globally. Adenovirus and Covid-19 co-infection was detected in 19 cases.
The new case from Japan tested negative for adenovirus and the coronavirus, though officials have not revealed other details.
What are the symptoms and how worried should we be?
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