Previously while the domestic epidemic spread, resulting in various COVID-19 induced encephalitis cases in children, Tri-Service General Hospital analyzed that those children all possess the new virus mutation sequence at K97E, renamed later as BA.2.3.7. This also signifies international discovery of the critical variant mutation strain associated with pediatric encephalitis.
The Omicron outbreak in May has led to various cases of children with severe symptoms, especially those developing acute encephalitis drew national attention. Tri-Service General Hospital treated multiple severe cases in children and after analysis, discovered that six child patients all possess the K97E virus mutation sequence, later named BA.2.3.7. Worthy of noting is that this is the first international discovery of the critical variant mutation strain associated with COVID-induced acute pediatric encephalitis.
Chang Jia-ning, Attending Physician, Pediatrics, Tri-Service General Hospital: “Only this triggered encephalitis in children during that period. All virus strains are the same strain: BA.2.3.7 and they all have the K97E mutation site.”
Tri-Service General Hospital pointed out that BA.2.3.7 variant makes it easier for the virus to interfere with the immune system, inducing an immune storm that may turn into acute encephalitis. DNA sequencing also discovered a high similarity in source as in infected Japanese children. However, does this mean that BA.2.3.7 is the cause of children's encephalitis? The research team notes it may be the critical factor associated with COVID-induced encephalitis in children.
Chen Hsi-chou, Chief of Pediatrics, Tri-Service General Hospital: “We may only infer that for this part, this mutation site may be it. But whether it causes encephalitis or results in a more severe case, we can only observe and cannot conclude absolutely. It requires further scientific verification.”
Hospitals that observe the severe children's cases noted that the infection index for the children is all abnormally high. However, they are unable to find evidence of viral infection in the central nervous system. In the future, it will, together with National Health Research Institutes and National Defense Medical Center Preventive Medicine Institute conduct further test analysis. At the current stage, doctors still recommend vaccination as a priority to prevent severe cases in children.
國內5月爆發Omicron本土疫情，引發多起兒童重症，尤其以併發急性腦炎症狀受到國人關注，三總收治多位重症病童，經過分析，發現6位病童都帶有全新突變位點K97E的病毒突變分支族群，後來命名為BA.2.3.7，值得注意的是，這是國際首度找到造成兒童確診併發急性腦炎致病的變種病毒株。
三總小兒科部主治醫師張佳寧指出：「只有這個引發兒童腦炎那段時期，所有的病毒株都是同樣的一株BA.2.3.7，他們都有K97E這個突變位點。」
三總指出，BA.2.3.7變異株可能讓病毒更容易干擾免疫系統，誘發免疫風暴，演變成急性腦炎，經過基因定序也發現與日本的小兒染役有高度同源，不過，是否代表BA.2.3.7就是導致兒童腦炎，研究團隊表示，可能是兒童併發腦炎的關鍵成因。
三總小兒科部主任陳錫洲表示：「我們只能夠做推論，這部分來講，推論是這個位點的部分，所以跟它一個導致腦炎或是產生比較嚴重的症狀，可能是有觀望，不敢講說絕對，這還要做進一步的科學驗證。」
觀察收治的重症病童，院方表示，病童多樣發炎指數都異常升高，不過中樞神經系統中，暫時無法找到病毒感染的證據，未來攜手國衛院、國防醫學院預醫所進行試驗分析，現階段要防範兒童重症，仍建議接種疫苗。
