Treatment of hepatitis C in children

Abstract

Hepatitis C affects 4–10% of children born to infected mothers, and 80% of them develop chronic infection. Most patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection are asymptomatic, with persistent or intermittent biochemical abnormalities. Severe liver disease may develop 10 years after onset of infection, with a less than 2% overall risk during the pediatric age. Available therapies have no contraindication in children if otherwise healthy. The US FDA and EMEA have recently approved combined pegylated-IFN-α2b plus ribavirin treatment for children, who should be over 3 years of age in order to avoid severe side effects. Experiences in pilot trials and international studies indicate a response rate of 50% in genotype 1 patients, and more than 90% in genotype 2 or 3 patients, indicating resolution of chronic disease.

Keywords::

• children
• hepatitis C
• mother-to-child transmission
• PEG-IFN
• ribavirin

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.