Recent cases of hepatitis

Subject: Recent cases of hepatitis

The number of children inexplicably suffering from acute hepatitis is continuing to increase.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has identified 125 cases in 14 European countries, most of them in Italy.

Worldwide, almost 700 cases have been reported and at least 14 children have died.

One theory, supported by the World Health Organisation, is that a combination of adenovirus and SARS-CoV-2 is to blame.

In view of this:

1. Can the Commission say what information it has regarding this infection?

2. Is it drawing up recommendations regarding preventive measures, together with a plan to ensure that the situation does not become any worse?

Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

(3 August 2022)

1. The Commission is aware of the increase of severe acute hepatitis cases of unknown aetiology in children in the United Kingdom and several EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) monitors the situation and provides updates on a dedicated webpage (1).

Moreover, different European clinical research networks, several of which receive Horizon 2020 funding (e.g. ECRAID (2), Penta (3)), set up a rapid survey to assess the extent and geographical distribution of the outbreak (4), which is also monitored at the level of the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R) (5).

2. ECDC provided a Risk Assessment (6) that the Health Security Committee (7) discussed for the first time on 27 April 2022. ECDC called on EU/EEA countries to establish surveillance at national level, including appropriate testing, and quickly report cases to the European Surveillance System (8). ECDC is working with research teams and Member States to plan aetiological studies for the hepatitis cases.

⋅1∙ Increase in severe acute hepatitis cases of unknown aetiology in children https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/increase-severe-acute-hepatitis-cases-unknown-aetiology-

children

⋅2∙ European Clinical Research Alliance for Infectious Diseases (ECRAID) https://www.ecraid.eu/. Projects: ECRAID-Plan (Grant Agreement No 825715;

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/825715), ECRAID-Base (Grant Agreement No 965313, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/965313), ECRAID-Prime (Grant Agreement No 101046109, https://www.ecraid.eu/ecraid-prime); total EU contribution EUR 42.9 million ⋅3∙ https://penta-id.org/ is beneficiary of a total EU contribution of EUR 8.0 million in 8 Horizon 2020 projects (i.e. Grant Agreements No 734857, 777554, 825579,

825715, 965313, 965328, 101003589, 101016167) and 2 Horizon Europe projects (i.e. Grant Agreements No 101046118, 101057036). ⋅4∙ https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.19.2200370 ⋅5∙ https://www.glopid-r.org/

⋅6∙ https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/increase-severe-acute-hepatitis-cases-unknown-aetiology-children

⋅7∙ https://health.ec.europa.eu/health-security-and-infectious-diseases/preparedness-and-response/health-security-committee-hsc_en

⋅8∙ In accordance with Article 6 of Decision 1082/2013/EU on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 2119/98/EC (OJ L 293, 5.11.2013, p. 1)

on epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases and related special health issues (such as antimicr obial resistance). Hepatitis is included in the list of notifiable diseases subject to epidemiological surveillance. The proposed Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU will, once adopted, strengthen preparedness and response, inter alia through a Union preparedness plan, a system of regular assessments of national preparedness plans and improved, continued surveillance of communicable diseases and related special health issues. On 23 June 2022, the co-legislators have reached a provisional agreement on the draft regulation.