At this time, we believe adenovirus could be the cause of some of these reported illnesses, but investigators are still learning more – including ruling out other possible causes and identifying other possible contributing factors. These may not be new cases of hepatitis, and they may not be linked to this current investigation.ĬDC is also examining national data sources to look at trends in hepatitis in children (including disease requiring liver transplants), as well as any trends in adenovirus infection over several years, including before the COVID-19 pandemic.ĬDC is working with state and local health departments to learn more about potential cases and what may be causing these illnesses.
ACROSS SYNONYM FULL
It is not unusual for the cause of some hepatitis cases in children to remain unknown some estimates suggest 30-50% of hepatitis cases in children are from unknown causes.ĬDC is looking at overall trends in hepatitis in children.ĭuring this investigation, as reports come in from states, it may seem like there is a growing number of children with hepatitis, but this might not be the full picture.
CDC continues to look at data to understand the expected numbers of children with hepatitis. We don’t know the normal prevalence (number of cases)Ĭases of hepatitis in children over the past few years appear stable and are small numbers overall. We do not know and are investigating what role other factors play in this illness, such exposure to toxins or other infections that the children might have. While adenovirus has been detected in some children, we do not know if it is the cause of the illness. Some other causes have been ruled out for the children in Alabama, including:Īt this time, the cause of the reported illnesses in these children is still unknown. Other common causes of viral hepatitis, such as infection with hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses were considered, but evidence for these infections were not found in any of the patients. Although there have been previous reports of hepatitis in children with suppressed immune systems who were infected with adenovirus, adenovirus type 41 is not a common cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children. Laboratory tests identified that some of the children in Alabama had adenovirus type 41, which is more likely to cause severe stomach illness in children. Some of the Children with Hepatitis in Alabama also had Adenovirus
CDC is working with states to support them when patients under investigation are reported and is updating investigation numbers regularly. In addition to looking for more cases in Alabama, the CDC issued a notice calling for state and local health departments nationwide to report potential cases. Investigators are considering other possible causes and identifying other possible contributing factors. Adenovirus has been detected in some of these patients throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, but not among all of them. None of the children had significant underlying medical conditions.ĬDC is also aware of an increase in pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown cause recently reported in other countries, and CDC is working with public health officials around the world to understand what they are learning. No known contact or common exposures were found among the children. The children were from different parts of the state.
An additional review of hospital records later identified four additional patients, all of whom had hepatitis and adenovirus infection.Īll of the children were previously healthy and ranged in age from one to six years old at the time of hospitalization. The five children tested negative for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C viruses and tested positive for adenovirus, a common virus that typically causes cold- or flu-like illness, or more rarely stomach or intestine problems. The children had significant liver illness, including some with liver failure, with no known cause. In October 2021, five pediatric patients with hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) of unknown cause were identified in children at a hospital in Alabama. Investigators are examining a possible relationship to adenovirus type 41 infection. CDC is currently working with health departments across the country to identify children with hepatitis of unknown cause.
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