title: The seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among children and their mothers attending for dental care in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
abstract: This paper describes a voluntary anonymous survey to investigate the seroprevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) in children in Glasgow, UK attending a Dental Hospital and the proportion of HCV positive mothers who have a child who is HCV seropositive. The study was undertaken among children and accompanying parents and household contacts attending a general anaesthetic assessment clinic at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School. Children were asked to provide an oral fluid specimen for HCV testing. Accompanying adults were asked to provide demographic data on the child and information on familial risk factors for HCV infection using a standardised questionnaire. Birth mothers were also asked to provide an oral fluid specimen. Specimens and questionnaires were linked by a unique anonymous study number. Between June 2009 and December 2011, samples were collected from 2141 children and 1698 mothers. None of the samples from the children were HCV seropositive but 16 (0.9%, 95% CI 0.6-1.5%) of the specimens from mothers were HCV antibody positive. In summary, the prevalence of HCV seropositivity in the birth mothers of the children was similar to that estimated in the general population served by the hospital and showed no evidence of mother-to-child transmission of HCV.
authors: Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Maureen
authors: M
authors: O'Leary
authors: University of Glasgow Dental School, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Glasgow, United Kingdom. Electronic address: jeremy.bagg@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors: Jeremy
authors: J
authors: Bagg
authors: University of Glasgow Dental School, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Welbury
authors: Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom; NHS National Services Scotland, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Sharon J
authors: SJ
authors: Hutchinson
authors: Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Rosie
authors: R
authors: Hague
authors: University of Glasgow Dental School, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Isabella
authors: I
authors: Geary
authors: NHS National Services Scotland, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Kirsty M
authors: KM
authors: Roy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
keywords: Children; Epidemiology; Hepatitis C virus; Prevalence