Acute hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that usually lasts for no more than six months.

It is a common disease among children and adults alike, and while most cases of acute hepatitis resolve on their own, some can progress to chronic hepatitis, liver failure, or even liver cancer.

Recently, a team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK made a significant breakthrough in understanding the possible causes of acute hepatitis in children.

The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, sheds light on a previously unidentified virus that may be responsible for a significant number of cases of acute hepatitis in children.

The research

The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of blood samples collected from children with acute hepatitis from 1982 to 2018.

Using a technique called metagenomic sequencing, the team was able to identify a previously unknown virus species that they named hepatovirus A (HHAV).

The researchers found that HHAV was present in 17% of the samples from children with acute hepatitis. In comparison, the virus was not detected in the samples from children with other liver diseases or healthy controls.

Moreover, the team found that HHAV infection was associated with lower levels of liver enzymes, indicating less severe liver damage.

HHAV belongs to a family of viruses known as Picornaviridae, which includes the common cold virus and poliovirus. However, the researchers noted that HHAV is distinct from other members of the Picornaviridae family and represents a new species.

The significance of the findings

The discovery of HHAV has significant implications for the diagnosis and treatment of acute hepatitis in children.

Previously, acute hepatitis was largely attributed to hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is transmitted through contaminated food or water and often causes outbreaks in communities.

However, the researchers found that only 1% of the children in their study had HAV infection, indicating that HHAV is a much more common cause of acute hepatitis in children than previously thought.

The researchers also noted that because HHAV infection is associated with less severe liver damage, it may be possible to manage the disease without the need for aggressive treatments such as antiviral drugs or liver transplantation.

Additionally, the identification of HHAV may help prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments for children with acute hepatitis.

Currently, the diagnosis of acute hepatitis is based on clinical symptoms such as jaundice, fatigue, and abdominal pain, as well as blood tests for liver function. However, these symptoms and tests are not specific to acute hepatitis and can be indicative of other liver diseases such as autoimmune hepatitis or drug-induced liver injury.

The researchers suggest that testing for HHAV in children with acute hepatitis may improve the accuracy of diagnosis and help distinguish between different liver diseases.

The future of HHAV research

While the discovery of HHAV is a significant advance in our understanding of acute hepatitis, the researchers note that much more research is needed to fully understand the virus and its clinical implications.

One area of research that the team is currently exploring is the mode of transmission of HHAV. The researchers believe that HHAV is likely transmitted from person to person, similar to other Picornaviridae viruses.

However, they note that more studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

The team is also investigating the prevalence of HHAV in other populations and geographical regions.

So far, the researchers have found HHAV in children from Europe and Asia, but it is unclear whether the virus is present in other parts of the world as well.

Conclusion

The discovery of hepatovirus A (HHAV) is a significant breakthrough in understanding the possible causes of acute hepatitis in children.

The virus, which was previously unidentified, is present in a significant number of children with acute hepatitis and is distinct from other known Picornaviridae viruses.

The identification of HHAV has significant implications for the diagnosis and treatment of acute hepatitis in children. It may help prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments and provide a more accurate diagnosis of the disease.

Moreover, because HHAV infection is associated with less severe liver damage, it may be possible to manage the disease without aggressive treatments such as antiviral drugs or liver transplantation.

While much more research is needed to fully understand HHAV and its clinical implications, the discovery of the virus represents an important step forward in our understanding of acute hepatitis in children.