Mysterious spike in acute hepatitis in children sees cases reported around Europe

Cases of acute hepatitis have been reported in countries around Europe, following a mysterious spike in cases of severe liver disease in children in the UK.

The UK’s public health agencies have been investigating 74 cases of hepatitis - an illness causing liver inflammation - in children since January.

Health experts are trying to determine the causes of the cases, as the usual viruses causing the illness were not detected.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU’s health agency issued warnings to other countries to be on the alert, and asked them to report any cases of unknown origin.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said on Wednesday additional cases of hepatitis of unknown origin have been reported in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain.

There have also been nine ases in children between the ages of one and six in the state of Alabama in the US, who also tested positive for adenovirus.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, which is a vital organ for processing nutrients, filtering blood and fighting infection.

Inflammation can affect the liver’s function, and the illness can vary in severity depending on the cause.

While some types of hepatitis are mild and don't require treatment, other forms of the disease can become chronic and be fatal.

Hepatitis is often contracted through the hepatitis virus, of which there are five main types: A, B, C, D and E.

The UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on April 12 that it was investigating the cause of the disease, which was in most cases affecting children aged two to five.

Some of the children had suffered acute liver failure and a “small number have required liver transplantation”.

What is puzzling authorities is that evidence of the