Mass. DPH is investigating two cases of pediatric hepatitis in Massachusetts

BOSTON — Boston 25 Information has realized that the Division of Public Well being is investigating two circumstances of pediatric hepatitis in Massachusetts.

Since October, greater than 100 youngsters in america beneath the age of 10 have fallen ailing with the illness, which causes liver irritation.

Ninety p.c of these youngsters required hospitalization, with fourteen p.c so severely ailing they wanted liver transplants.

5 youngsters with the illness have died.

Whereas the reason for this outbreak remains to be beneath investigation, the CDC says greater than half the circumstances examined constructive for adenovirus, a typical childhood pathogen.

However a supply tells boston 25 Information this virus was not detected within the two circumstances beneath investigation in Massachusetts.

“This complete factor began again in October,” mentioned Markus Buchfellner, MD, a pediatric infectious illness specialist on the College of Alabama in Birmingham. “We noticed our first case of a kid who got here in with medical indicators of hepatitis.”

These indicators included vomiting and a yellowish tint to the pores and skin often known as jaundice.

“For years, we’ve seen circumstances of acute hepatitis,” mentioned William Balistreri, MD, Director Emeritus of the Pediatric Liver Care Middle at Cincinnati Kids’s Hospital in Ohio. “However this appears to be a singular cluster.”

[ CDC investigating severe hepatitis cases in kids ]

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