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The CDC notified clinicians and public health authorities on Thursday, April 21 about a cluster of children identified with hepatitis and adenovirus infection, asking all physicians to be on the lookout for symptoms and to report any suspected cases of hepatitis of unknown origin to their local and state health departments.
The CDC said it is currently working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate a cluster of nine cases of hepatitis of unknown origin in children ranging in age from 1 to 6 years old, all of whom were previously healthy.
The CDC said it's also working with state health departments to see if there are additional US cases, and what may be causing these cases.
"At this time, we believe 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," the CDC said.
There has also been an increase in cases of pediatric hepatitis without a known cause recently reported in Europe and the CDC said it "has been in contact with our European counterparts to understand what they are learning."
Adenovirus has been confirmed in several of the European cases, but not all, the CDC said.
Symptoms of hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, include:
- fever,
- fatigue,
- loss of appetite,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- abdominal pain,
- dark urine,
- light-colored stools,
- joint pain,
- jaundice
Adenoviruses spread from person-to-person and most commonly cause respiratory illness, but depending on the type, can also cause other illnesses such as gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines), conjunctivitis (pink eye), and cystitis (bladder infection).
Adenovirus type 41 typically presents as diarrhea, vomiting and fever, often accompanied by respiratory symptoms.
CDC is asking physicians to consider adenovirus testing 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, we encourage parents and caregivers to be aware of the symptoms of hepatitis, and to contact their healthcare provider with any concerns," the CDC said.
The CDC said it's also recommending children be up to date on all their vaccinations, and that "parents and caregivers of young children take the same everyday preventive actions that we recommend for everyone," including:
- Washing hands often,
- Avoiding people who are sick,
- Covering coughs and sneezes,
- Avoiding touching the eyes, nose or mouth.
Click here to read the CDC alert.
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