A child being treated for an acute form of hepatitis has died, according to the Health Service Executive.
A second child who was also being treated for the same illness has received a liver transplant.
Over the past ten weeks, six probable cases of children with hepatitis of unknown cause have been identified in Ireland, and a small number of children are under investigation.
READ MORE: Symptoms of mystery hepatitis strain that has killed at least one child as Ireland confirms cases
The cases are being linked to an unexplained type of hepatitis that is being reported in children worldwide.
The HSE confirmed that the children affected have no links to the other children involved.
To date, no single virus has been identified in the cases and investigations to identify the cause of these illnesses are ongoing.
All probable cases that have been identified are in children between the ages of 1 and 12 years of age and have all resulted in hospitalisation.
According to WHO, as of 21 April 2022, at least 169 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children have been reported from 11 countries in the WHO European Region and one country in the WHO Region of the Americas.
The majority of cases have been reported in the United Kingdom (114).
UK, health authorities are also investigating to determine the cause of the illness. Information gathered so far from the investigations suggest that the recent cases of hepatitis may be linked to adenovirus infection. However, this theory is still under investigation.
The HSE said the Irish cases have no links to the UK cases, and none had a recent travel history to the UK before the onset of symptoms.
The common viruses that cause hepatitis (hepatitis viruses A, B, C, and E) have also not been detected in any of the cases.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSE said: “One area being explored is whether the hepatitis cases are linked to an increase in infections caused by adenovirus, a common cause of childhood illness.
“Other possible causes such as another infection (including COVID-19) or something in the environment are also being investigated.
“In Ireland, as in other countries, investigations are underway to determine if current or prior COVID-19 infection may increase the risk of this disease in some children.
“None of the Irish cases who were tested on admission to hospital had evidence of Covid-19 infection at that time. The majority of the cases had not received COVID-19 vaccination.
“Ireland is liaising closely with ECDC, UK and WHO colleagues in efforts to identify the cause of this illness,"
Advice for parents on symptoms of hepatitis
Parents are advised to go to their GP if their child develops symptoms of hepatitis. Symptoms of hepatitis can include:
- pale, grey-coloured poo (stools)
- dark urine
- yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)
If their child has any of these 3 symptoms, they should contact their GP without delay. The GP will assess the child and refer on for further assessment as indicated.
Other symptoms include
- muscle and joint pain
- a high temperature
- feeling and being sick
- feeling unusually tired all the time
- a general sense of feeling unwell
- loss of appetite
- tummy pain
- itchy skin
Parents are advised to go to their GP if their child develops symptoms of hepatitis. The GP will assess the child and refer on for further assessment as indicated.
If your child is unwell with respiratory or diarrheal or hepatitis symptoms keep your child at home and do not send to crèche/preschool/school until they are better.
READ MORE: Hepatitis outbreak Ireland: GP lists symptoms after worrying spread of mystery strain in children
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