Recent episodes of severe acute hepatitis in children are likely to be caused by an infectious agent, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said. Investigations have ruled out any link to the covid-19 vaccine, nor has it been associated with any common food or drink exposure.

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EFE 20/4/2022 10:29 CEST

An infectious agent could be behind cases of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin detected in children in several countries, including Spain, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said yesterday.

Since the UK authorities raised the alarm on 5 April, similar cases have been reported in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States, but the exact cause has not yet been established.

Since the UK authorities raised the alarm on 5 April, similar cases have been reported in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States.

“The investigating team in the UK, where most of the cases to date have occurred, considers an infectious agent to be the most likely cause, based on the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the cases,” the ECDC said in a statement.

The European Union’s epidemic reference body stressed that UK investigations have ruled out any link between the cases and the covid-19 vaccine and that no common food or drink exposure has been identified.

Most of the cases were fever-free, some required care in liver units and a few required liver transplantations. Investigations have excluded viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D and E in all cases.

The ECDC, which is based in Stockholm, reported that it is collaborating with teams in countries where cases have been detected, as well as with the World Health Organisation (WHO), to support ongoing studies.

Five cases have already been detected in Spain
Galicia recorded two new possible cases of the disease on Tuesday. In a brief statement, the Galician government said that, in response to a health alert issued by the ministry on Monday, an active search for possible cases was launched, also “retroactively”.

Two new cases have been detected in Galicia: one of them last January and another that remains active at present

In this way, two cases were detected, one of them last January, with a positive evolution, and another, which remains active at present, and which is also “evolving favourably”.

To these must be added the three cases confirmed on 13 April by the Madrid health authorities, one of which required a liver transplant, although all are progressing favourably. The children, aged between 2 and 7 years and from three Spanish regions (Aragon, Castilla La Mancha and Madrid), are currently in hospital.

The symptoms of this pathology are abdominal pain, vomiting and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Initial studies have ruled out the possibility that the disease is related to possible coronavirus infections or the covid-19 vaccine.

Health authorities advise frequent hand washing, covering coughs with the inside of the elbow and using disposable tissues as the main preventive measure, as well as consulting a paediatrician if the child starts with symptoms that worsen in a few days.