Newswise — Enteroviruses can induce diverse infectious diseases. Particularly in infants, the clinical presentation of the illness can vary from asymptomatic to critical and potentially lethal. Echovirus, a prevalent enterovirus, is notably widespread. Echovirus 11 (E11) and other enteroviruses have been consistently circulating within the European Union.
In the past year, a team of medical professionals and researchers from France documented a notable rise in both the frequency and seriousness of acute and fulminant hepatitis linked to a newly identified strain of E11 in newborns across the country. This surge in cases has specifically impacted male twins, and the trend has been observed since the summer of 2022.
In a recent expedited publication featured in the most recent Eurosurveillance issue, Piralla and colleagues share a case study involving male twins in Italy who experienced severe hepatitis attributed to E11. One of the twins exhibited fulminant hepatitis, characterized by a sudden and rapid deterioration with the emergence of life-threatening liver inflammation. While one of the brothers was discharged from the hospital a few weeks after birth, the other twin required transfer to a different pediatric intensive care unit for continued medical intervention and potential liver transplantation.
Piralla and colleagues emphasize the critical importance of promptly identifying the infection and providing timely intensive care for the survival of both infants. They suggest that based on their findings and the French report, there could be a potential genetic predisposition among male twins.
The whole genome sequencing conducted on the samples from Italy revealed a close genetic relationship between the E11 strains identified in the Italian cases and those from the outbreak documented in France, exhibiting 99% nucleotide identity. Nevertheless, the specific origin of this distinct lineage remains unknown. Additionally, the risk factors associated with a severe progression of the disease and the underlying mechanisms involved in E11 infection have yet to be identified. Further research is needed to elucidate these aspects.
---Ends----
RSS