CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Doctors are on alert for a rare type of liver inflammation with two reported cases in North Carolina and nine in Alabama, including several cases that are so severe the children needed a transplant.
“Do we need to panic? No. When we start to see a cluster of cases, especially cases that typically are associated with an infectious disease, we pay attention and we just we try to do the tracing to get to the bottom of it,” Dr. Christina Johns, PM Pediatrics Senior Medical Advisor, said.
Health officials said viruses often cause liver inflammation. So far, the usual hepatitis ones have been ruled out and now the focus is on an Adenovirus.
Doctors said you should look for big changes in your kids like vomiting, not behaving normally and even their eyes yellowing.
Physicians said it is unlikely that parents can do something to prevent it from happening. Other symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.
“There are symptoms that sort of grow with time and things that you notice that you probably can ask your primary doc just to say, ‘Hey, do you think this is OK?’ Or, ‘Do you think this is alright," Dr. Karan Emerick, Connecticut Children’s Liver Center Director, said." And certainly, if the child is very ill, that emergency room will get things done quickly."
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