Hepatitis C in children

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Cases of hepatitis C are rarer and less numerous in children. Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct contact with the blood of an infected person. It is not transmitted through breast milk, food or water, or occasional contact, for example, hugs, kisses

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Cases of hepatitis C are rarer and less numerous in children.

Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct contact with the blood of an infected person. It is not transmitted through breast milk, food or water, or occasional contact, for example, hugs, kisses and shared food or drinks with an infected person.

Contagiousness and symptoms of hepatitis C in children

The symptoms caused by the de hepatitis C virus can be very similar to those caused by the hepatitis A and B viruses. However, the infection by the hepatitis virus C may eventually lead to chronic liver disease and therefore constitutes the main reason for liver transplantation. The spread of hepatitis can occur when sharing needles and syringes, when getting tattoos or piercing with non-sterile instruments, through blood transfusions, through the transmission of a newborn by an infected mother, and through sexual intercourse (although it is a less common route of infection) in adults.

Hepatitis C is also a common risk in dialysis centers. People who live with a hepatitis C patient can rarely be infected by sharing items that may contain the patient's blood, such as razors or toothbrushes.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes acute and chronic infection. In general, acute infection is asymptomatic and very rarely associated with a life-threatening disease. Approximately 15-45 percent of infected people eliminate the virus spontaneously within six months, without the need for any treatment.

Diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C in childhood

All hepatitis C viral forms can be diagnosed and your treatment can be followed up by reliable and easily accessible blood tests.

Hepatitis C

does not always require treatment, because in some people the immune response will spontaneously eliminate the infection. When treatment is necessary, the goal is healing. The cure rate depends on some factors such as the strain of the virus and the type of treatment that is dispensed. A thorough examination should be carried out before starting the treatment in order to determine the most appropriate approach for the patient. Antiviral medications can cure hepatitis C infection, but access to diagnosis and treatment is very limited. Antiviral treatment achieves good results in 50-90 percent of cases, depending on the treatment applied, and has shown efficacy in limiting the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer.

At present there is no vaccine against hepatitis C.