British researchers made a significant discovery about the mystery behind hepatitis cases affecting young children on Monday, discovering that the serious liver ailment was connected to the co-infection of two common viruses.
Adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2), which requires the presence of another ‘helper’ virus in order to proliferate, had a crucial role in the study and was found in 96 percent of all patients analysed.
Scientists came to the best conclusion that co-infection with either AAV2, an adenovirus or occasionally the herpes virus HHV6 provided the best explanation for the severe liver damage.
Emma Thomson, an infectious disease professor at the University of Glasgow and the study’s lead author said that ‘The presence of the AAV2 virus is associated with unexplained hepatitis in children.’
It is still unclear whether AAV2 was a biomarker for underlying adenovirus infection that is harder to detect but was the main pathogen or was causing the disease.
The study examined both people who developed hepatitis and those who did not, concluding that AAV2 was primarily present in those who contracted the disease.
The study further investigated the genes of children who had become ill and those who had not in an effort to pinpoint variations in their Human Leukocyte Antigen that would explain why some are more susceptible than others.
No coronavirus was discovered in the victims’ livers, ruling out coronavirus infection as a primary cause and disqualifying current or past SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Researchers noted that lockdowns may have contributed to the rise in instances by reducing children’s immunity, and they emphasised the need for greater research to learn why certain kids get serious illnesses and need organ transplants.
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