The CDC issues recommendations for diagnosing ‘unknown’ hepatitis in children

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the use of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) methods such as such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect the presence of adenovirus in all cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children. The guidance was published on the CDC website.

As investigation is underway worldwide to determine if the 41F strain of adenovirus is linked to these hepatitis cases the CDC recommends clinicians collect the following samples: blood (whole blood/plasma/serum), nasopharyngeal smear, sputum, faeces (or rectal smear) and liver tissue.

In addition, to detect the adenovirus the guidance recommends the use of whole blood PCR testing. Analysis of clinical samples should be carried out immediately on-site, and where not possible they should be sent to the nearest laboratory that can handle this request.

Cases of hepatitis of unknown origin in children were discovered earlier this year in the UK. The disease, which seems to mainly affect pre-school children, has been also picked up in Europe and the United States. It has been established that none of the usual hepatitis viruses (A through E) seem to be the cause for this disease and now leading experts suspect a link with the adenovirus 41F - which has been detected in many of the children affected.