Several researchers in the UK have said they may have figured out what has been causing the outbreak of a mystery strain of hepatitis among children across the globe, BBC reports.
Two independent research papers were conducted by scientists and have since concluded that there were two ‘common viruses’ that began circulating when the Covid-19 lockdowns ended - leading to the rare hepatitis cases.
In Ireland, 20 probable cases of children with hepatitis of unknown cause have been identified since March, and a small number of children are under investigation. One child has died and two have required liver transplants.
READ MORE: Irish mother tells of daughter's mystery hepatitis diagnosis after bouts of vomiting and yellow eyes
However, in total across the globe, the cases are at a much higher number of 1,000, all reported since the mysterious outbreak began.
The two new studies, have yet to be peer-reviewed but have been published and led by the University of Glasgow and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London.
Due to the lengthy bouts of Covid-19 restrictions seen over the past two years, researchers are claiming that infants missed out on early immunity to adenovirus – which typically causes colds and stomach bugs.
They also missed building immunity to adeno-associated virus two (AAV2) – which is not known to normally cause disease on its own but often accompanies infection with adenoviruses.
They, therefore, say this is likely the reason why some children have developed Hepatitis.
Experts said they cannot completely exclude the chance that children diagnosed with the liver complications had somehow developed increased susceptibility to getting sick, but they insist that this was extremely unlikely to be caused by Covid-19.
Researchers found that AAV2, which replicates only with a “helper” virus such as an adenovirus, was present in all nine cases in the Glasgow study and 94pc (16 of 17) of cases in the GOSH study.
The scientists believe that dual infection with AAV2 and an adenovirus, or possibly a herpes virus HHV6, offers the best explanation - right now - for the onset of severe liver disease in affected children.
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