Child Liver Problem Continue Growing

There is an outbreak of unexplained liver problems in children globally. By mid-May, there had been around 450 cases reported from over 20 countries. Virus infection causes this type of liver problem. This outbreak seems to affect children under 5 most. Most affected children appeared with signs of gastrointestinal issues, yellowish skin and eyes. About 10% of the cases need transplantation.

Health authorities haven’t concluded clearly what virus is causing this outbreak. There is no evidence showing the most common liver viruses, and environmental toxins are related to the cases. But the health authorities in the UK have a leading hypothesis involving adenovirus. They will also continue to investigate the potential role of SARS-CoV-2 and work on ruling out any toxicological components.

Adenovirus is a big family of viruses commonly found in young children. In the UK, 72% of the children affected by the outbreak tested positive for adenovirus. UK researchers proposed a theory that the public health measures and lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic led to limited exposure to adenovirus, making some children more susceptible. However, Dr. Ian Mackay from the University of Queensland pointed out that this hypothesis could be misleading. He commented that most fingers point to adenovirus simply because there are a lot of positive samples. It is worth remembering that adenovirus is quite a common virus, and many of these viruses still circulate even during lockdowns.

Professionals suggest that it is important for parents to pay attention to any signs of liver problems – especially yellowish skin and eyes, dark urine, pale stool, and persistent gastrointestinal discomfort. It is also a good practice to keep good hand and respiratory hygiene to reduce infections.