Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in children admitted to an urban hospital.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis C infection is a global health problem affecting about 3% of the world's population. However, very little data exists on the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in childhood.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional study in 2000 children and adolescents who were treated as in- or out patients in our hospital. Blood samples were collected between February 2002 and June 2004 and were tested for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV). Positive samples were further investigated by HCV specific PCR and Western blot assay.


RESULTS
Mean age of children was 8.1 years. 908 (45%) were female and 1092 (55%) male. One thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight were Caucasian, 37 African, and 65 Asian. 16 (0.8%) tested positive for anti-HCV. HCV-RNA was detectable in one child (0.05%), and three were positive in the Western blot assay (0.15%). The HCV viremic child had received multiple blood transfusions after cardiac surgery. She was asymptomatic with normal transaminases. Seroprevalence of HCV antibodies were equally distributed among boys and girls.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of persistent hepatitis C in children from an urban hospital in Germany is low. Most patients with HCV antibodies are not infected. Therefore, although universal screening is not warranted, it should always be performed in risk groups such as transfused children because HCV infection in childhood is usually asymptomatic.
Children's Hospital, Helios Klinikum Wuppertal, Witten-Herdecke University, Heusnerstr. 40, D-42283 Wuppertal, Germany. patrick.gerner@web.de
Patrick
P
Gerner
Stefan
S
Wirth
Philip
P
Wintermeyer
Alexander
A
Walz
Andreas
A
Jenke
D000293:Adolescent; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral