Acute hepatitis in children of unknown cause may be associated with the super antigen of the Coronavirus: study
More than 300 cases of acute hepatitis in children of unknown cause in more than 20 countries and regions around the world may be associated with the super antigen of the Coronavirus, according to the latest study published in the prestigious international academic journal, The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Most children develop gastrointestinal symptoms early, then jaundice and, in some cases, acute liver failure. However, hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E were not found in the reported cases.
The researchers suggest that the recent cases of acute hepatitis in children were probably the result of a coronavirus infection, followed by an adenovirus infection after the emergence of a viral reservoir in the intestinal tract.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe reported on May 13 that unexplained acute hepatitis cases in children aged 16 and under in the region also showed that more than 70% had been infected with the Coronavirus.
Among the cases with tracked medical progress, the proportion of severe cases reached 15.4%. Of the cases with COVID-19 vaccination data, 83.9% were not vaccinated.