Authorities warn about severe hepatitis in children linked to adenovirus

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that it has learned of three suspected cases of severe hepatitis in children under ten years of age, potentially linked to a strain of adenovirus. Two of the cases are in suburban Chicago and one is in Western Illinois. One case resulted in a liver transplant. IDPH is working to learn of other cases in the state and is asking healthcare providers to report any suspected cases in children. The IDPH announcement follows an alert issued by the CDC in response to a cluster of nine cases of hepatitis of unknown origin in children in Alabama ranging in age from 1 to 6 years old, all of whom were previously healthy. These cases appear to have an association with adenovirus 41. Adenoviruses spread from person-to-person and most commonly cause respiratory illness. Adenovirus type 41 typically presents as diarrhea, vomiting and fever. While there have been case reports of hepatitis in immunocompromised children with adenovirus infection, adenovirus type 41 is not known to be a cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children.
At this time, CDC said it believes adenovirus may be the cause for these reported cases, but investigators are still learning more – including ruling out other possible causes and identifying other possible contributing factors. CDC is asking physicians to consider adenovirus testing using PCR or NAAT on respiratory samples, stool or rectal swabs and whole blood for pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology, and to report any possible cases of hepatitis of unknown origin to CDC and state public health authorities.
In addition, CDC is encouraging parents and caregivers to be aware of the symptoms of hepatitis, and to contact their healthcare provider with any concerns. CDC continues to recommend children be up to date on all their vaccinations, and that parents and caregivers of young children take the same everyday preventive actions that it recommends for everyone, including washing hands often, avoiding people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
For more information, go to: https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2022/han00462.asp