The recent spike in cases of sudden, severe hepatitis in children around the world has been widely reported. Recently, several news outlets have highlighted a possible link between cases and contacts with pet dogs. However, the data suggesting this link is extremely weak – in fact, probably a lot weaker than most of the alternative hypotheses that have been proposed.
The spike in hepatitis cases in children was first noticed in the UK, but has now been reported in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Although the numbers worldwide are still very low, the disease has been severe and some children have needed a liver transplant. At least 11 children have died, and there are suggestions that it may continue for some time.
