title: Recommendations for screening, monitoring, and referral of pediatric chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Most children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (persistent hepatitis B surface antigen-positive for >6 months) are asymptomatic and do not generally require treatment. These children are, however, at increased risk for severe complications later in life, including advanced liver disease and liver cancer. On November 11, 2008, the Hepatitis B Foundation, a nonprofit research and disease advocacy organization, convened a panel of nationally recognized North American pediatric liver specialists to consider and recommend an approach for the screening, monitoring, initial management, and referral of children with chronic hepatitis B. The panel developed recommendations to provide guidance to practitioners on determining what additional tests to conduct, how often to monitor on the basis of test results, and when to refer to a pediatric liver specialist to build a partnership between the practitioner and liver specialist to enhance the success of management of children with this lifelong infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. haber@email.chop.edu
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Haber
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: Maureen M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: Saul J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Karpen
authors.forename: W Thomas
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Karen F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Narkewicz
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines