Quietly Increasing Pediatric Acute Hepatitis... 614 Cases Reported Worldwide

164 Increase Over 9 Days... Suspected Cases Double in Japan Within a Week

▲[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The number of pediatric acute hepatitis cases of unknown cause is increasing. Pediatric acute hepatitis of unknown cause was first reported in the UK on the 5th of last month and has since been reported in countries around the world. It is characterized by symptoms such as jaundice, vomiting, and diarrhea, a rapid increase in liver enzymes, and the absence of hepatitis types A, B, C, D, and E.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as of the 19th, 614 pediatric acute hepatitis cases have been reported in 31 countries worldwide. The total number of deaths has reached 14. This is an increase of about 160 cases from 450 patients and 11 deaths reported on the 10th, within just one week. Moldova, Mexico, Malaysia, and Greece have reported suspected cases for the first time.

In South Korea, one suspected case was reported on the 1st, but some countries have seen a sharp increase in confirmed cases. In the United States, as of the 19th, pediatric acute hepatitis cases increased by about 71 compared to the 10th, and deaths increased by 6, showing a significant rise. The total number of pediatric acute hepatitis patients in the US is 180, surpassing the UK, where the disease was first reported, which has 176 cases. Neighboring Japan reported 24 suspected cases as of the 20th, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, about double the 12 cases reported a week earlier.

The exact cause of pediatric acute hepatitis has not been identified. Adenovirus remains the leading suspected pathogen. Jay Butler, Deputy Director of the Infectious Diseases Division at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said, "Evidence is accumulating that adenovirus type 41 is involved in pediatric acute hepatitis." The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also reported that adenovirus was detected in 72% of pediatric acute hepatitis patients.

There is also an opinion that the global strengthening of quarantine measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the outbreak of pediatric acute hepatitis. Some overseas experts have hypothesized that measures to suppress COVID-19, such as social distancing, have reduced children's exposure to adenovirus, which helps build immunity, potentially causing an overreaction to infection.

The ECDC recently developed and distributed a standard testing method to identify the cause of pediatric acute hepatitis. This method tests for infectious causes including adenovirus and COVID-19, as well as non-infectious causes that can trigger pediatric hepatitis. Non-infectious causes of pediatric hepatitis include autoimmune diseases and genetic disorders.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.