By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters). During a wide-ranging investigation into unexplained cases, U.S. health officials issued a nationwide warning to doctors about symptoms of childhood hepatitis.

This warning comes after investigations in Europe and the United States of clusters of Hepatitis among young children.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are working together with colleagues in Europe to find the root cause. Adenovirus, a common cold virus also known as the common cold, has been found in several European cases. However it is not always confirmed.

The UK’s health authorities announced Thursday that they have confirmed 108 cases. Some cases of pediatric hepatitis were severe enough to require liver transplantation.

According to the U.S. Alert, doctors are directed to notify their states and local health authorities of any possible cases of this disease.

Doctors should also conduct an adenovirus test on young patients who show symptoms such as fever, fatigue and loss of appetite.

Following an investigation by the CDC with Alabama Department of Public Health, this warning was made about nine cases of hepatitis of undetermined origin in pre-healthy children ranging from 1-6 years of age.

The first such U.S. cases were identified in October 2021 at a children’s hospital in Alabama that admitted five young patients with significant liver injury – including some with acute liver failure – of unknown cause. The children were positive for the adenovirus in those cases.

These more commonly occurring forms of liver disease, such as hepatitis A or hepatitis B and hepatitis C, were all ruled out.

An additional four cases were discovered by reviewing hospital records. They all had liver injury as well as adenovirus infected.

The CDC and state health departments are working together to find U.S. case. Although the most common theory suggests that these cases are due to a particular type of adenovirus (Adenovirus), health officials are looking at other factors.