In Italy we have about ten reports, a transplant has been done and three cases are confirmed "but" be careful to think that every case of hepatitis in children is of unknown origin, because even if rare, this disease was there even before ".

Thus, on Radio InBlu2000, the Undersecretary of Health Pierpaolo Sileri , who added: "the suspected cases of acute hepatitis will probably be overestimated compared to the real ones. Attention therefore to the flourishing of reports but then many will be removed from the final calculation".

The new acute hepatitis that infects children "is still at an early stage and the national pediatric network is well structured, but I am alarmed because the cases risk increasing", Annamaria Staiano , full professor of Pediatrics in Naples and president of the Italian Society of Pediatrics.

Two weeks ago the news was given at the Congress of the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology "of a cluster of acute viral hepatitis in England not classifiable from A to E. A week ago the news became public and other scientific societies started the surveillance necessary to identify new cases around the world "continued the expert.

The epidemic "unfortunately seems runaway. On 5 April there were 10 cases in England, one of which needed a liver transplant, and a week later 74. These are children between 2 and 5 years old ".

It was found that there are no links with covid and it was noted instead that the children "are infected with an adenovirus, similar to that of the cold, but which in some cases of immunosuppression can lead to hepatitis". It presents itself as a gastroenterological problem, "with abdominal pain , diarrhea, vomiting and no fever " and is distinguished from the other forms by the duration: "It goes beyond two weeks".

In the most severe forms then there is jaundice , or “the yellow color of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Finally, the examination of transaminases , the enzymes produced by the liver that signal liver damage, counts ".

In the event that the symptoms lasted more than a week, the parents "should have the child examined by the pediatrician. In the case of jaundice, on the other hand, they should immediately take him to the emergency room. It is also important to observe the general picture, that is, if in addition to the symptoms there is a marked weakness.

Evolution is rapid and progressive and in some cases the need for liver transplantation arises. In the simplest situations "hydration and antivirals are enough".

For now in Italy the cases "are few, but we must keep our guard up".

(Unioneonline / vl)

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