A wave of colds and stomach bugs caused a surge in rare hepatitis in children following the Covid rules were lifted, scientists say.
At least 12 children under the age of 10 needed a liver transplant, and 263 were hospitalized with the mysterious disease.
Doctors were puzzled because the young patients did not test positive for the hepatitis virus.
But they now believe that these cases were caused by a surge of two viruses that combined to cause liver damage in some children.
Both studies blame a bug called adeno-associated virus 2 and say it spreads along with other common adenoviruses. This can cause colds, diarrhea or vomiting.
In the past, serious cases of hepatitis had spread and went unnoticed, but when the Corona 19 restrictions were ended, the number of infections surged and dozens of people gathered at once.
Dr Antonia Ho of the University of Glasgow said: “Every step we have taken to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus has meant that the circulation of the seasonal virus has decreased significantly.
“Now with the kids coming back to school and mingling, the seasonal virus is spreading and circulating more than we normally expect.”
Viruses are usually harmless, and most children become infected with the virus and recover by the age of three.
However, if both are caught at the same time, a small number of people become seriously ill, the researchers said.
The children in the study had a significantly higher than average incidence of adeno-associated virus 2 and genes that increased the risk of hepatitis.
Experts rule out coronavirus, and blood tests show that many children have not contracted the coronavirus or have never been vaccinated.
Rare liver disease cases peaked in April and are now plummeting as viral infection rates return to normal.
Dr Meera Chand of the UK Health Security Agency said: “There is a very clear decline in the number of cases that have reverted to near background rates.”
Signs of hepatitis to look for
Hepatitis in children is still very rare, but watch out for the following signs:
- dark urine
- pale gray shit
- itchy skin
- Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
- muscle and joint pain
- High temperature
- feeling and sick
- Always feeling unusually tired
- loss of appetite
- abdominal pains