AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine child has been treated for hepatitis with no known cause, as confirmed by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention in a news release Tuesday.
The child is reportedly still recovering after being hospitalized with serious liver illness, the Maine CDC noted.
This case is allegedly similar to others being observed in other states that date back to late last year, and comes after HEB strawberries were linked to a potential Hepatitis A outbreak from early March to late April, which are now deemed safe for consumption.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still investigating the multi-state outbreak to determine a root cause and prevention strategies.
“Hepatitis with unknown causes remains rare in children,” Nirav D. Shah, director of Maine CDC, said in the news release. “We encourage parents to call their children’s medical providers if their children experience […] symptoms.”
According to the Maine CDC, hepatitis is a form of liver inflammation that may lead to severe illness and be caused by several different forms of the virus: A, B, or C. The organization notes hepatitis can also stem from infectious or non-infectious causes.
Hepatitis A and B can be prevented with vaccination, according to the release.
The Maine CDC is advising Maine health care providers to watch for the disease in children 10 years old and younger with severe liver inflammation. Common symptoms such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and yellowing of the skin (jaundice) may be cause for concern as stated in the release.
