Health: should we be worried about the unknown hepatitis that affects children in several countries?

Hepatitis of unknown origin, affecting children under ten, has been detected in five European countries, such as the United Kingdom or Denmark, but also France. In France, “two cases of acute hepatitis whose etiology is still undetermined have been reported by the Lyon University Hospital” in children under 10 years of age andare under investigation“, says the Public Health Agency France.

Is it an epidemic?

The journalist and doctor Damien Mascretpresent on the set of 20 Hours, Tuesday April 19, ensures that “the number of children is too low to speak of an epidemic”. Moreover, “most recover without sequelae. The liver is the only organ in the body that is able to regenerate completely if we stop attacking it.“, he wants to reassure. Santé Publique France is not talking about an excess of cases in France at this stage. At the end of last week, the World Health Organization said it expected new reports in the coming days and had already reported “less than five” cases in Ireland and three in Spain.

Are there any reasons to worry?

There are nevertheless sources of concern, recognizes the practitioner. “On the one hand, there are still children who have hepatitis severe enough to require a liver transplant. And then, as long as we haven’t found the origin of these hepatitis, it will be difficult to avoid them.“, continues Damien Mascret.

Doctor concludes by recalling the symptoms of hepatitis: nausea, vomiting, fatigue, stomach ache, then in the acute phase, jaundice (particularly marked in the cases reported by the British authorities), very dark urine and discolored stools.

ECDC

WHO

Non-exhaustive list.