[Hepatitis C in children--diagnosis, follow-up and treatment].
Hepatitis C-virus infection is relatively infrequent among children in the western world. Although most hepatitis C infections in children evolve to chronicity, liver damage is usually mild. In April 2001, a selected group of Norwegian paediatricians interested in infectious diseases convened to discuss the clinical management of hepatitis C in children. So far, no consensus reports concerning follow-up of hepatitis C infected mothers and their children or clinical management of chronic hepatitis C infection in childhood have been published. In view of the limited experience with hepatitis C among Norwegian children, strategies for the clinical management of hepatitis C infection are discussed based upon available literature and experience from England and Sweden. We present epidemiological data, the risk of vertical transmission and the clinical characteristics of hepatitis C in children. Procedures for follow-up of hepatitis C infected mothers and their children and guidelines for treatment of hepatitis C infected children are proposed. Long term follow-up to identify those who require treatment is important.
Rojahn
Astrid
A
Seksjon for infeksjonssykdommer Barnemedisinsk avdeling Ullevål universitetssykehus 0407 Oslo. astrid.rojahn@ulleval.no
Wathne
Karl-Olaf
KO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors