• Rare infantile hepatitis Symptoms, theories about its origin and cases in the world

  • WHO New childhood hepatitis is a "very urgent" issue

The number of cases of acute childhood hepatitis of unknown origin now rises to 429, 81 more

than a week ago

, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today, indicating that six of the patients died and 26 needed a transplant.

Most of the cases have occurred in Europe, and so far they have been registered in 22 countries, although

only 12 (including the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States and Israel)

have detected more than five cases in the territory.

Another 40 cases are pending confirmation, the WHO said, stressing that three out of four affected children are under the age of five, and that

15% of the patients required intensive care

.

The first 10 cases of this acute hepatitis were reported by the UK to the WHO on April 5, in

previously healthy

children under 10 years of age .

It is suspected that the cases could be related to an

adenovirus

, although this pathogen has so far not been linked to acute cases of hepatitis.

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  • Hepatitis