Origin of unknown cases of hepatitis in UK children under WHO investigation

The World Health Organisation expects more cases to be reported in the coming days

This 1981 electron microscope image made available by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention shows hepatitis B virus particles, indicated in orange. The round virions, which measure 42nm in diameter, are known as Dane particles. APShow less

The World Health Organisation is monitoring cases of hepatitis of unknown origin in dozens of children in Britain, some of whom required a liver transplant.

Ten cases of severe acute hepatitis in Scotland were reported to the UN agency on April 5; an additional 64 cases had been found in the UK by April 8, it said on Friday.

Six children needed liver transplants and several patients had to be transferred to paediatric liver units, WHO said.

“Less than five confirmed or possible” cases were reported in Ireland, and three confirmed cases in Spain. No deaths have been recorded.

The infection mainly affected children aged under 10 and symptoms included jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

The known hepatitis viruses, from A to E, have not been detected in the children, so British health authorities have examined a link to common viruses, or other possible causes, such as Covid-19, infections or environmental factors.

Health experts have long warned of the dangers of using the internet to find medical advice instead of seeing a GP - a trend referred to as "Doctor Google".

Researchers researchers from Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital suggest searching the web for a diagnosis.may be less harmful than medical professionals believe. Photo: Scott Eisen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Participants in the study of 5,000 people demonstrated modest improvements in reaching an accurate diagnosis after looking up symptoms online.

For the next phase, David Levine, managing director of general internal medicine and primary care at the Brigham, intends to investigate further the ability of AI to help people diagnose their own condition correctly. (Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The WHO said the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 and other common viruses had been detected “in several cases”. Their role in the infection’s development was “not yet clear”, it said.

It said it expected more cases to be reported in the coming days.

Experts ruled out any link with Covid vaccines, none of which had been administered to any of the confirmed cases in Britain.

Meera Chand, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UK Health Security Agency, a public health protection body, said “normal hygiene measures” such as handwashing “help to reduce the spread of many of the infections that we are investigating”.

She also called on parents and guardians to be alert to the signs of hepatitis and “to contact a healthcare professional if they are concerned”.

- Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.