Jaundice, dark urine, itchy skin, muscle and joint pain, loss of appetite and high fever are the symptoms of inflammatory liver disease. About 60 cases have been found in children in England and 11 cases in Scotland have taken children to hospital. Dr Mira Chad, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UK Health Insurance Agency, said: “Investigations into a wide range of possible causes are ongoing, including possible links to infectious diseases. The aim, he said, is to raise the awareness of health professionals, so that any other case in children “can be identified in time and the appropriate examinations can be done”. Parents, Dr. Chand said, should recognize the symptoms of jaundice, including “yellow skin that is more easily seen in the whites of the eyes – and contact a health professional if they have concerns.” While the condition may have occurred for a variety of reasons, including several viral infections that are common in children, the cases examined have not found the common viruses that usually cause the condition. Health officials in Scotland have acknowledged that speed, the severity of the cases and the geographical spread have made the outbreak “unusual”. Cases have been diagnosed nationwide in Lanarkshire, Tayside, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Fife. There are currently no clear causes and no obvious link between them, said Scottish Public Health (PHS). Dr Nicholas Phin, director of public health at PHS, said their research was in its infancy. He said: “If you have a child who shows signs of jaundice, where the skin has a yellow tinge and appears more easily in the whites of the eyes, then parents should contact their doctor or other health professional. “We are continuing to investigate these cases and will provide further updates when and where they are available.”
