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Two common viruses are linked to rare cases of hepatitis in children, researchers have found.

Across the globe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported at least 1,010 probable cases of acute severe hepatitis.

All have developed since April in children under six years old and in unknown circumstances.

Many children with the condition have needed to be hospitalised - with 11 in England and one in Scotland requiring a liver transplant.

In the UK, the majority of the 268 cases have been in children under the age of five.

Two independent studies assessed samples from these cases in the UK.

Their investigations suggest two common viruses have collided to trigger rare hepatitis cases.

Researchers from both studies found that all patients with unexplained hepatitis had high levels of the common adeno-associated virus (AAV2).

This virus develops with the assistance of a "helper" virus. This could be a common adenovirus infection that typically causes colds or upset stomachs.

Most people get AAV2 before the age of 10.

But the teams of researchers, from Glasgow and London, suggest children are being exposed to such infections at a delayed stage due to the lockdowns and, therefore, missed out on some early immunity.

Both teams highlighted the possibility that a peak in seasonal viruses in the general population after a period of lockdown may have contributed to the viruses spreading now in these age groups.

It is unclear why some children then develop hepatitis, but genetics may have a role to play.

These liver inflammation cases are rare - 22 children have died worldwide.

'Larger studies are urgently needed'

Professor Emma Thomson, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research and senior author of the Scottish study said: "There are many unanswered questions and larger studies are urgently needed to investigate the role of AAV2 in paediatric hepatitis cases.

"We also need to understand more about seasonal circulation of AAV2, a virus that is not routinely monitored - it may be that a peak of adenovirus infection has coincided with a peak in AAV2 exposure, leading to an unusual manifestation of hepatitis in susceptible young children."

Scientists have disregarded any connection between the recent hepatitis cases and COVID-19.

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Both studies were conducted at the same time, one examining cases in Scotland by the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research and the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

The second studied cases from across all four nations at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.

The findings are yet to be peer-reviewed but they say a decline in the number of cases of hepatitis is reassuring for the public.