A case of acute hepatitis whose origin remains unknown has just been detected in Japan.
The Minister of Health said on Tuesday April 26 that a child had been hospitalized,
Bloomberg
reports .
Japan is thus the 13th country affected by this mysterious form of the disease.
169 cases in 12 countries had already been identified by WHO as of April 21, 2022.
The United Kingdom remains the most affected country with 114 children in care.
In France, 2 cases have been observed.
One child died from the disease and 17 liver transplants were performed.
Children under five are the most vulnerable
It is “very likely that more cases will be detected before the cause can be confirmed”, warned the WHO in a report published on Saturday April 23.
The disease targets more children aged five or younger.
But some patients were older, up to 16 years old.
The most common symptoms are gastroenteritis with diarrhea and nausea, and sometimes jaundice.
Scientists favor the thesis of an adenovirus infection to explain this infantile hepatitis of unknown origin.
They also consider a link with Covid-19 but dismiss the vaccine.
“Factors such as increased susceptibility in young children following a lower circulating level of adenovirus during the Covid-19 pandemic, the potential emergence of a new adenovirus, as well as co-infection with SARS-CoV-2, need further investigation,” the WHO said.
The organization recommends “regular hand washing” and good “respiratory hygiene” to limit the risks.
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