Research points to common infections as cause of liver disease outbreak in kids – CTV
March 31, 2023
Scientists think they may have pinpointed the cause of a mysterious outbreak of liver disease that affected children worldwide last year.
In a study published Thursday in the scientific journal Nature, researchers from the University of California and the New York State Department of Public Health present new evidence linking the outbreak of hepatitis with adenoviruses – which can cause a range of illnesses including the common cold — and adeno-associated viruses.
Last April, scientists and health officials were puzzled when children in the U.K., Spain, Israel, the U.S., Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway and France began suddenly developing severe cases of hepatitis with no known cause. By May, hospitals in Canada were reporting cases of rare pediatric hepatitis, too.
