Current knowledge about the outbreak of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin among children

Abstract

Background and aim: A recent outbreak of acute severe hepatitis of unknown etiology (ASHep-UA) among children 16 years old and younger has aroused global concern. Initially reported in central Scotland, the disease has been notified in 35 countries and linked to 22 deaths as of 25 September 2022. This review aimed to provide current knowledge about the outbreak of ASHep-UA.

Methods and results: The websites of the World Health Organization, the UK Health Security Agency, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the PubMed database were searched, based on the search term "acute severe hepatitis of unknown etiology." The corresponding reports or literature previously released by the mentioned websites and database were integrated to obtain current information about ASHep-UA.

Conclusion: Even though the potential relevance between ASHep-UA and adenovirus, adeno-associated virus 2, and human herpes viruses was revealed, the etiology of ASHep-UA is still unknown. More effort should be made to explore whether ASHep-UA is caused by a novel virus or other environmental factors, to generate appropriate treatment strategies.

Relevance to patients: ASHep-UA has aroused global concern recently, which may lead to adverse outcomes such as liver transplants and death. The present review shares current development and information about the outbreak of acute severe hepatitis of unknown origin among children.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; acute hepatitis; adenovirus; diagnosis; epidemiology.