On Thursday, April 21, 2022, CDC issued the Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to notify clinicians and public health authorities of children identified with hepatitis (CDC Hepatitis) and adenovirus infection (CDC Adenovirus). A cluster of pediatric cases of significant liver injury with positive adenovirus infection have been identified and reported to CDC since November 2021. A possible association between pediatric hepatitis and adenovirus infection is currently under investigation after subsequent laboratory testing identified adenovirus type 41 infection in several cases. Clinicians are recommended to consider adenovirus testing and to report such cases to their state or jurisdictional public health authorities and to CDC.

A standard diagnostic workup for children with acute hepatitis should be done locally per treating clinicians.

Consider testing for adenovirus in the evaluation of children with acute hepatitis of unknown cause.

As listed below, please consider collection and submission of the following specimen types (if available) for adenovirus detection.

Because the potential relationship between adenovirus and acute hepatitis is still under a national epidemiologic investigation, please consider collection and submission of the following specimen types (if available) for adenovirus detection.

Read more...