摘要
At the beginning of April 2022,the World Health Organization(WHO)identified 10 cases of acute severe hepatitis in children younger than 10 years of age,across central Scotland.1 None of the typical hepatitis viruses(A–E)that are known to cause acute viral hepatitis were isolated from any of those cases,and no common environmental exposures were found.Based on the latest data(up to 26 May 2022),approximately 152 cases of acute severe hepatitis were reported in the European Union and 222 cases in the UK.2 Moreover,more than 38 of the cases received a liver transplant and at least 14 deaths were reported(Table 1).2,3 The WHO,European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,and UK Health Security Agency have posted reports trying to inform about the recent cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin.Concerning the case definition by WHO,a description of a confirmed case is not available at present,while a probable case is considered a person presenting with acute hepatitis that cannot be attributed to the hepatitis viruses A–E,with serum aminotransferase levels>500 IU/L(aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase),who is 16 years or younger,since October 2021(Table 2).
