Health chiefs are exploring a potential link between pet dogs and a hepatitis outbreak affecting children around the world.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified a "high" number of children aged 10 and under who have been struck down by the illness who belong to a family that owns dogs or have been exposed to a canine.
It is investigating why 163 cases of the liver disease have been detected in the UK since January, including 11 who have needed a transplant, and said the "significance of this finding is being explored".
