title: Hepatitis B "by proxy": an emerging presentation of chronic hepatitis B in children.
abstract: We report on 6 adopted asymptomatic children in whom chronic HBV infection was identified through the occurrence of an acute hepatitis B in a family member. All of the children had serum HBV-DNA >2000 pg/mL. Acute hepatitis B in a family should alert the physician regarding the possibility of existing chronic HBV infection in other members of the family, especially newly adopted children, leading to a quick evaluation of their HBV status and to an efficacious protection of susceptible family members.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Gastroenterologia ed Epatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina della Procreazione e dell'Età Evolutiva, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sciveres
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maggiore
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male