title: [Treatment of viral hepatitis in children].
abstract: Having compared prior recommendations in our country, we found no essential differences in treating chronic hepatitis B and C in children. The recommended therapy for chronic hepatitis B in children is still monotherapy with interferon alfa or lamivudine. Although a recently published pilot study showed good results with combined therapy, it is not included in therapeutic recommendations. As for prevention, improvement is achieved with introducing immunization in infancy, in addition to immunization of elementary school sixth-graders. Adopting this measure, we expect further decrease in the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B. The best treatment option for chronic hepatitis C in children is combined therapy with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin, as supported by multicenter studies. Children with chronic viral hepatitis are at a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma as compared to healthy children. Thus, alpha fetoprotein level and liver ultrasonography should be obtained once or twice yearly in order to detect the possible hepatocellular carcinoma at an early stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Zagreb Children's Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Alemka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaklin Kekez
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a