Rapid diagnosis of hepatitis. image/file
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that the increase in cases of chronic hepatitis in childhood of unknown origin is a “very urgent” issue to which they give “absolute priority”.
“This is very urgent and we give it full priority here and collaborate with European Center for Disease Prevention and Control management and coordination“, assured Monday in Lisbon the regional director of the WHO Emergency, Gerald Rockenschaub.
The specialist, who is in Portugal for the Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR), a program to share resources between countries to prepare responses to public health emergencies, explained that they put a notice in some countries to “be helpful here more specifically”, after an increase in reported cases.
“We do our best to quickly determine what caused it and then take the appropriate steps, both nationally and internationally, ”he stressed.
Getting chronic infantile hepatitis. image/file
what’s going on chronic hepatitis children in Europe
The first ten cases of this chronic hepatitis were reported by the United Kingdom to the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 5.
Those infected were children under ten years of age with no previous illnessess, and since then infections have also been identified in Spain, Israel, Denmark, Italy, the United States and Belgium, among others.
The age of those affected ranged from one month to 16 years.in most cases they did not have a fever, and in any of them the viruses associated with these diseases (hepatitis A, B, C, D and E) were not detected, according to the health organization.
Men and women are the most affected by the outbreak of this hepatitis. image/file
In Portugal, a country that has not yet discovered cases, the Director General of Health announced the creation of a working body to monitor the situation.
“There are investigations being conducted in all countries that have confirmed the cases, but so far the cause of this hepatitis is still unknown.Andrea Ammon, the director of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the reference body for infections in the European Union (EU), said at a press conference.
In the United Kingdom, where the alert was issued on April 5, and more than one hundred cases have been identified and forty correspond to ten countries of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA), including Spain, where should add those registered in the United States and Israel.
Investigations into these cases, which resulted in one death and nearly 20 liver transplants, point out a “link” with infection caused by adenovirus, while viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D and E are not included.
Blood tests to detect diseases such as hepatitis. image/file
“It is difficult to make a risk assessment with so many unknown factors, but the impact is highAmmon warned.
The ECDC, which will release a new diagnosis of the disease on Thursday, said it will continue to monitor cases and work with the health authorities of their respective countries.
“So far no connection has been found between the cases or any travel connection.s, ”Ammon said of a disease whose symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting.
Source: Clarin