In addition to the 650 confirmed unclear cases of hepatitis in children, the precise classification of their illness in 99 other children with hepatitis is still pending, i.e. whether they also fit into the pattern of previous cases. The WHO itself emphasizes that the actual number of cases might often be underestimated due to the limited monitoring capacity.
Most confirmed mysterious cases of hepatitis in children in Europe are in the UK (222, 11 of whom required a liver transplant) followed by Spain (29) and Italy (27). In the USA there are 216 cases (15 had to have liver transplants), in Japan 31.
75 percent of the children were younger than five years.
More severe courses than previous hepatitis infections
The causes of these cases remain unknown and are being researched, the statement said WHO report. “The cases take a more severe clinical course and a greater proportion develop acute liver failure compared to previous reports of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children.”
An infection with the hepatitis viruses A to E might be excluded.
SARS-CoV-2 and/or adenoviruses have been detected in a number of cases, although the data reported to WHO is incomplete.
Of 180 children tested for adenovirus, 110 (60.8 percent) tested positive. An acute SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected by PCR in 23 (/12.2%) of 188 children tested. So far, data from serological tests for antibodies once morest SARS-CoV-2, with which a past infection can be detected, are only available from 26 children: the result was positive in 19 children (73.1%).