Tribunnews Reporter, Fitri Wulandari
TRIBUNNEWS.COM, LONDON – Scientists and medical experts are currently trying to find information related to the causes of the emergence of the disease acute hepatitis in more than 160 children in English all of a sudden.
According to updated data from the Health Safety Agency English (UKHSA) last Friday, there were an additional 18 cases recorded on 3 May, bringing the total cases to acute hepatitis on the child in English to 163.
Quoted from National WorldSunday (8/5/2022), the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier this week that there are nearly 300 possible cases of children with severe hepatitis detected in 20 countries around the world.
While a common virus known as adenovirus is likely to be one of the causes of this spike in cases following the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, hepatitis after adenovirus infection is not commonly seen in previously healthy children.
Please note, hepatitis is a term used to describe an inflammatory condition of the liver and can affect people of all ages.
Read also: World Shocked by Acute Hepatitis, Singapore Doctor: Parents Don’t Need to Worry Too Much
In children, this disease is usually caused by a viral infection, but in adults it can also result from liver damage due to alcohol consumption.
“Therefore, the investigation is still continuing into other factors that may be contributing,” UKHSA said.
These include previous Covid-19 infection or changes to the adenovirus genome itself.
A review of questionnaires involving families also found a ‘relatively high number of family owners of dogs or other exposure to dogs’, with 64 of the 92 cases in which available data referred to exposure to dogs.
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