Acute hepatitis: Is adenovirus 41 linked to the outbreak of cases in children? Much more contagious than Covid-19

The medical community around the world is on alert after the outbreak of acute hepatitis cases in children in various countries.

The most worrying thing of all, is the fact that some of the children who got sick (about 10%) needed a liver transplant, a development that shows the severity of the condition.

At the same time, experts are sounding the alarm, strssing that adenovirus 41 is extremely difficult to contain, as it is even more contagious than Covid-19.

Professor Gikas Magiorkinis spoke about the issue to MEGA channel, stressing that: "The best data we have at our disposal comes from the United Kingdom and concerns 111 cases of children. What is worrying is that a number of them, about 10, had to undergo a liver transplant."

Liver transplant cannot be done in Greece

As he pointed out, liver transplant cannot be done in Greece. "Such a procedure, i.e. liver transplant, can only be done abroad. There will also be some cases of hepatitis in Greece, with 5% - 10% of them being severe".

Earlier, speaking to ERT channel, he said that "it is difficult to limit the spread of acute hepatitis that affects children around the world."

From the data we have so far there are cases in many countries that are not related to each other.

Mr. Magiorkinis stressed that "If the main cause of these cases is adenovirus 41, it is extremely difficult to contain it, as it is even more contagious than Covid-19".

Who is more likely to get sick?

Professor Elias Mosialos spoke about the cases of hepatitis as well as the causes for the outbreak of the cases.

"Adenovirus 41 is considered the most likely cause, at the moment, although it has not been found in all children," said Elias Mosialos, among other things, trying...

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