US says investigating deaths of five children linked to mystery liver disease

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that it is examining 109 cases of a strange form of hepatitis in children, including five deaths.

“Investigators both here and abroad and around the globe are working hard to determine the cause,” said Jay Butler, deputy director for infectious diseases for the CDC.

Hospitalization was required in 90% of the cases, with 14% requiring liver transplantation. The majority of people healed completely.

The CDC issued a health alert last week notifying doctors and public health authorities to be on the lookout for similar cases and began examining case histories extending back to October 1, 2021.

More than half the cases tested positive for adenovirus 41 — a virus that is normally associated with gastroenteritis, but not hepatitis in otherwise healthy children.

“Because of the link to adenovirus, I would call that top of the list of viruses of interest,” said Butler.

“But we don’t know if it is adenovirus itself that is causing the cases, or is there an immune reaction to this particular strain of adenovirus.”

Environmental factors are also being examined — such as the presence of animals in the house, as well as whether other pathogens, such as Covid, may have played a role.

Adenovirus cases might also be rebounding after Covid lockdowns stopped the spread for a few years, or the adenovirus might have evolved into a newer, more dangerous strain.

However, the CDC claims that Covid vaccines are not to blame.

Nine cases in Alabama were investigated in-depth, all of which involved children under the age of two, who were too young for Covid vaccination.