[Chronic hepatitis C in children]

The clinico-laboratory manifestations and outcomes of chronic hepatitis C have been studied in 49 children. The proportion of chronic hepatitis C in the structure of chronic viral hepatitides in children is 20.5%. Among chronic hepatitis C patients, in 18.4% chronic persisting hepatitis, in 20.4% chronic active hepatitis and in 61.4% chronic active hepatitis with transition to cirrhosis of the liver have been diagnosed. In patients with chronic hepatitis C manifested as chronic persisting hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis the course of the disease is characterized by intermittent periods of prolonged exacerbations and short remissions. In cases of chronic active hepatitis with cirrhosis of the liver the signs of the active process can be constantly detected in the course of prolonged observations. In some patients with chronic active hepatitis the lethal outcome is possible as the consequence of progressing liver insufficiency. The data obtained in this investigation indicate that autoimmune chronic hepatitis in children, extensively described in Russian and foreign literature, may be etiologically linked with hepatitis C virus.