Mysterious Hepatitis Cases in Children Baffle Scientists
In the past few months, hundreds of cases of hepatitis have been reported in children throughout the US and Canada, and scientists are baffled. So far, no virus has been found to explain the cause of this illness, which causes liver damage and sometimes liver failure in children between the ages of 7 and 12.
A rare strain of hepatitis has popped up around the country
45 cases have been reported, but researchers don’t know where it came from. So far, it hasn’t caused any fatalities, but experts are concerned: The new strain is unusually dangerous and hard to detect. What’s going on? Let’s break down what scientists know so far. ____________
Is it a new form of Hepatitis?
There are many different types of hepatitis, but all are characterized by damage to and inflammation of liver cells. None of these cases exhibit symptoms associated with any other known strain of hepatitis, so it’s unclear whether they are new or simply unclassified. Further analysis is needed before experts can determine how exactly these cases differ from other strains of hepatitis.
Why have so many kids been infected?
For an illness that’s largely been eradicated, hepatitis A cases among children have mysteriously skyrocketed over the past decade. What gives? It seems to be a combination of two things: first, poor sanitation and hygiene due to overcrowding leads to outbreaks like these. Second, more adults with hepatitis A are living with their kids and sharing household objects; sometimes they don’t know they have it but spread it anyway.
Where is it coming from?
It’s not yet clear where all of these infections are coming from. This could be an environmental factor that’s spreading or a change to how one of these viruses is spreading, said Dr. Chills, fever and a general sense of feeling unwell—the symptoms may last several days and most people recover without any lasting problems.
How Can Parents Protect Their Kids?
Most children recover without treatment, but for those who are severely ill and need treatment, doctors have only one way to stop it: drugs that suppress their immune systems so they can no longer attack their own bodies. But those drugs also put kids at increased risk for infections and cancer later in life.
Is there anything I can do to protect myself?
We asked Dr. Jeffrey Keiser, professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and chief of infectious diseases at Boston Children’s Hospital, what parents should do to protect their children. His advice: wash your hands frequently; ensure kids are up-to-date on vaccinations; and if you live in a part of Mexico where these outbreaks have occurred (Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca), monitor your child for symptoms.
What's next?
The number of people infected with acute hepatitis A has been rising around Australia, but experts are still unclear on how they were infected. The disease is usually spread when someone eats or drinks food or water that’s contaminated with faeces from an infected person. It can also be spread through direct contact with an infectious person.
Sources
Janet Raloff, Hepatitis Mystery Deepens (May 25, 2007); Alissa Goodman and Beth Handsfield, Paralyzing Illness Puzzles Doctors (June 5, 2007); Janet Raloff, Kids Suffer from Rare Hep-Alike Disease (June 4, 2007); Erin Brockovich June 4, 2007.