Hepatitis B virus. Image produced from an image taken with transmission electron microscopy. (Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) At least one child has died in connection with a mysterious liver disease outbreak affecting children in Europe and the United States, the World Health Organization says.The U.N.
health agency said late Saturday that it has so far received reports of at least 169 cases of "acute hepatitis of unknown origin" from a dozen countries.The cases were reported in children aged one month to 16 years old, and 17 of those who fell ill required liver transplants.
WHO didn't say in which country the death occurred.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory Thursday about the outbreak, noting that several children in the United States were diagnosed with both hepatitis and an adenovirus infection.
Researchers say adenovirus could be causing the mysterious cases, but further research is ongoing."While adenovirus is a possible hypothesis, investigations are ongoing for the causative agent," WHO said, noting that the virus has been detected in at least 74 of the cases.