Sharp Drop in UK Childhood Hepatitis Cases
As of July 19, there were 270 confirmed cases of hepatitis in children aged 10 and under across the UK. Fifteen of these youngsters required liver transplants, but thankfully, no deaths have been reported. The good news? The number of new cases is now falling.
Adenovirus Takes Centre Stage
Latest data from a technical briefing examining 274 confirmed and possible cases up to July 4 reveals adenovirus as the main suspect. Of 258 children tested, nearly 66% had adenovirus detected. A UK case-control study found a strong link between adenovirus infection and this hepatitis cluster.
Interestingly, rises in adenovirus were seen only in young children—no similar spikes were recorded in older kids or adults.
New Virus Findings and Immune Clues
Research from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research and the Royal Hospital for Children has uncovered adenovirus-associated virus 2 (AAV2) in most affected children. This virus, which usually doesn’t cause illness on its own, was absent or rare in healthy controls. It needs a “helper” virus to multiply, suggesting a complex viral interplay.
Early evidence hints that differences in children’s immune systems may be a factor. But scientists say it’s too soon to draw solid conclusions.
COVID-19 Unlikely to Be the Culprit
Further investigation shows little connection to prior coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. Under 5% of cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 shortly before hospital admission, mirroring rates in other children admitted for unrelated reasons.
A broader look found no significant difference in past COVID-19 infections or antibody levels between sick children and healthy controls. Experts from Glasgow and London universities back this up, suggesting COVID is not driving this hepatitis surge.
“Untangling the cause of the increase in childhood hepatitis cases observed in 2022 is complex,” said Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections. “Multiple strands of the investigation point to the possibility that several different factors have combined to cause severe illness in some children.”
Hepatitis in UK Kids Remains Rare and Declining
While the hepatitis spike grabbed headlines, it remains extremely rare in children. UKHSA is continuing its work with academic and international partners to get to the bottom of this mysterious outbreak and to prepare for any future risks.
