Tobias Böttler: Recent outbreak of acute, severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children: Severity, case numbers and link to adenovirus

Globally, there have been 166 cases, 17 liver transplants, and one death linked to the recent outbreak of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children, according to the World Health Organization¹ and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control² (data published on 23 April 2022).

Dr Tobias Böttler (University Hospital Freiburg, Germany) kindly joins us to discuss an overview of the severity of paediatric cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin, and the potential link with adenovirus.

Questions:

1. Could you give us a brief overview of the recent outbreak of hepatitis: its severity, case numbers and location of cases?
2. Why are the cases so concentrated in the UK?
3. What is known about a potential link with adenovirus?
4. It has been suggested that lockdowns and social distancing may have weakened immune systems, as they have not been challenged by ‘normal’ viral exposures. Is there any evidence for this?
5. What advice would you give healthcare providers?

Disclosures: Tobias Böttler has nothing to disclose in relation to this video.

Support: Interview and filming supported by Touch Medical Media. Interview conducted by Katey Gabrysch.

References:

1. World Health Organization. Disease Outbreak News; Multi-Country – Acute, severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children. 2022. Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON376 (accessed 29 April 2022).
2. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Increase in severe acute hepatitis cases of unknown aetiology in children. 2022. Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/increase-severe-acute-hepatitis-cases-unknown-aetiology-children (accessed 29 April 2022).