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Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in urban children

Samer S El-Kamary1, Janet R Serwint, Alain Joffe

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. selkama@jhmi.edu

The Journal of Pediatrics
|August 14, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in urban children is not recommended, as infection rates are very low. However, mothers with a history of intravenous drug use (IVDU) require HCV testing, as self-reporting is unreliable.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Hepatology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a significant public health challenge.
  • Understanding HCV prevalence in pediatric populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
  • Identifying maternal risk factors can inform prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of HCV infection among children in an urban pediatric primary care setting.
  • To identify maternal risk factors associated with HCV transmission to children.
  • To evaluate the need for universal HCV screening in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 1034 children tested for anti-HCV, excluding those with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status.
  • Maternal HCV risk factors were assessed via interviews (n=573) and medical record review (n=347).
  • Prevalence and risk factors were estimated using proportions and 95% confidence intervals.

Main Results:

  • Only one child (0.1%) tested positive for anti-HCV.
  • Maternal history of blood transfusion was reported by 7%, and intravenous drug use (IVDU) by 1.8%.
  • Mothers significantly underreported IVDU compared to medical records (1.5% vs. 7.8%, P<.001).

Conclusions:

  • Universal HCV screening for children in high-risk urban areas is not supported by these findings.
  • HCV testing is recommended for mothers with a history of IVDU, as self-reporting is unreliable.
  • Further research may be needed to optimize screening strategies for pediatric populations at risk.
Abstract

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