Marc Van Ranst gives more details
Dozens of cases have been identified in these four countries in children under the age of 10. Some of them, in serious condition, had to be referred to a transplant service for a transplant. In the state of Alabama in the United States, nine cases have been reported in children aged 1 to 6 years.
While concern is growing across Europe, Belgium is on high alert and is monitoring the situation very closely. Doctor Xavier Stéphenne, head of pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology at the Saint-Luc university clinics in Brussels, explains that if we are worried in this way, it is because it could be highly contagious hepatitis.
Additional information from Van Ranst
He is joined by virologist Marc Van Ranst, who claimed on Twitter that the cause of this hepatitis may well be known: “The cause of the hepatitis which is rampant in children could be human adenovirus type 41.
“In our laboratory, we are currently studying a recent sample of adenovirus type 41 isolated from a child, although currently without severe hepatitis,” he continues.
However, it is difficult at present to draw any conclusion. Research continues to find out more about this serious hepatitis.