Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections in children

Purpose of review To analyse the most relevant recent information on efficacy, duration and coverage of anti-hepatitis B virus vaccination; correlates of mother-to-child hepatitis B and C virus infections in the children ; the efficiacy and safety of specific therpaies. Recent findings Insufficient hepatitis B virus vaccine coverage and incomplete or delayed vaccine cycles need improvement in many countries.) Hepatitis B virus mutants may explain some fulfilment hepatitis in perinatally infected infants and vaccine failures. No interventions to prevent vertical hepatitis C virus transmission have been identified. Spontaneous clearance of hepatitis B is lower in children than in adults, while the rates appear to be similar for hepatitis C. The disease progression is slower for both infections in childhood. Several studies support the efficacy and safety of interferons and lamivudine in chronic hepatitis C in children but the optimal therapy remains unclear. Summary There are doubts as to the long-term persistence of anti-hepatitis B immunization in low-endemicity areas. Routine hepatitis C virus testing in pregnancy is not recommended as there are no available prophylactic measures. Although hepatitis B and C virus infections are usually asymptomatic or with with mild manifestations in childhood, concerns around their long-term clinical impact suggest the need for early treatment. Children should preferably be treated in the context of targeted trials for a better understanding of the efficiacy and tolerance of drugs currently used in adults.