The state of Rio de Janeiro is already investigating six suspected cases of the mysterious hepatitis that have been reported in other countries. The disease, which has been affecting children and generating serious conditions, still has an unknown cause.
As reported this Friday (6) the State Department of Health (SES-RJ), three of the six cases involve residents of the capital: they are children aged 4 and 8 years, in addition to a 2-month-old baby. Occurrences with a 3-year-old in Niterói and another 2-year-old in Araruama are still being analyzed. In Maricá, the death of an 8-month-old baby is also being investigated.
The secretariat advises parents to be aware and take their children to the doctor in case of any suspicion.Symptoms
Mysterious hepatitis has been accompanied by different symptoms: abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and jaundice, which is characterized when the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. Tests may be performed to detect increased levels of liver enzymes.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can have different origins, the most common being infections with type A, B and C viruses, in addition to abusive consumption of alcohol or other toxic substances such as medications and drugs. However, in early April, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a worldwide alert after several serious occurrences were recorded in the UK without association with any of these causes.
Other countries also have similar cases. Last week, the WHO updated the figures and reported 169 occurrences of acute hepatitis involving children and adolescents aged 1 month to 16 years in 11 countries in Europe and the United States. One death was recorded and seventeen patients required liver transplants.
In Brazil, suspected cases were reported not only in Rio de Janeiro, but also in Paraná. Other Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Panama, have also reported in recent days that they are monitoring patients.
Alert
It is not yet possible to confirm whether the cases under investigation in Rio de Janeiro are related to occurrences in other countries. In any case, about two weeks ago, the Ministry of Health instructed state governments to keep health services on alert for cases of severe acute hepatitis in which the patient has markedly elevated transaminases (intracellular enzymes), sometimes preceded by symptoms. gastrointestinal.
In the United Kingdom, messages circulated on social media that point to a relationship between cases and vaccines against covid-19. According to the WHO, this is misinformation and this association is completely ruled out, as most patients are in an age group not involved in immunization campaigns.
Also on Friday (6), the United Kingdom Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) pointed out, in a new report, that the main hypothesis is that the cases are associated with an adenovirus, which has been detected in tests in a large part. of patients. However, as the occurrence of hepatitis in previously healthy children caused by this type of pathogen is uncommon, the contribution of other factors is being investigated. A post-covid-19 infection syndrome is not ruled out. The disease may also be an unfolding of the associated action of different infectious agents.
Other hypotheses
The greater susceptibility of children’s bodies is also a possibility considered, given that the confinement during the covid-19 pandemic left them less exposed to the various viruses. As a result, their immune systems may not be properly prepared to react to infections. Another line of investigation seeks to identify whether there are mutations in the detected adenovirus. “These possibilities are rapidly being tested,” says the UKHSA. The agency also reports that a formal epidemiological study is under way.
Adenoviruses are a family of viruses with dozens of serotypes. Its transmission occurs through fecal contamination of food or water or, more rarely, through secretions in the air. They are common throughout the world and frequently contaminate children, causing a variety of illnesses such as gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis and respiratory diseases. Most of these cases are mild.
In the United States, a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated cases detected in the state of Alabama and found that patients were infected with adenovirus type 41, which usually causes gastroenteritis. Although it is not known to cause hepatitis, its association with the analyzed occurrences is considered probable by the North American researchers. “At this time, we believe that adenovirus may be the cause of these reported cases, but other potential environmental and situational factors are still being investigated”, informs the CDC, considering that the study concerns only the Alabama cases, and it is not possible to generalize them. it for now.
