title: Risk factors for hepatitis C virus acquisition and predictors of persistence among Egyptian children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a lower prevalence in children and knowledge is limited regarding the natural outcome of HCV infection in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the risk factors of HCV acquisition and predictors of persistence in Egyptian children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children, 1-9 years of age, were evaluated for acquisition of HCV (anti-HCV positive regardless of viraemia) and persistence of HCV (anti-HCV and HCV-RNA positive) at two paediatric hepatology clinics in Cairo at enrollment and at 3 monthly intervals. Spontaneous clearance of HCV was defined as ≥ two positive anti-HCV antibody tests with negative HCV-RNA at least 6 months apart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over a 33-month-period a total of 226 children <9 years of age were screened for HCV antibodies. Of those, 146 (65%) were anti-HCV positive of which 87 (60%) were HCV-RNA positive. The HCV acquisition was more likely to occur in older children (P = 0.003) with comorbid conditions (P < 0.01) compared to anti-HCV negative children. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the highest risk factors for HCV acquisition were surgical interventions [odds ratio (OR): 4.7] and blood transfusions (OR: 2.3). The highest risk factor for HCV persistence was dental treatment (OR: 16.9) and male gender (OR: 7.5). HCV persistence was also strongly associated with elevated baseline alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) levels (OR: 4.9) and fluctuating aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (OR: 8.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although surgical interventions and blood transfusion are significant risk factors for HCV acquisition in Egyptian children, dental treatment remains the highest risk factor for HCV chronic persistence in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esmat
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashem
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Raziky
authors.forename: Wafaa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El-Akel
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Naghy
authors.forename: Nehal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Koofy
authors.forename: Rokaya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.forename: Rasha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atta-Allah
authors.forename: Mohamed Abdel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Samer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: El-Kamary
authors.forename: Hanaa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El-Karaksy
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
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