Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Overview

Journal Indian J Pediatr

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 1995 Nov 1

PMID 10829942

Citations 1

Authors

M H Chang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Among hepatitis A to E viruses, hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can cause chronic hepatitis, in both children and adults. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most prevalent and important one. Perinatal transmission accounts for about 40-45% of chronic HBV infection in hyperendemic areas. Horizontal transmission through intramuscular injection using non-sterile needles and intrafamilial spread accounts for the other half of carriers. During the natural course of HBV infection, the host gradually clears HBV and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), liver damage and elevation of aminotransferases occur during the process of HBV clearance. The most effective way to eliminate HBV infection is immunoprophylaxis starting since birth. It can prevent both HBV and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children occurs mainly in high risk children, such as those who received blood product or injection using non-sterile needles, or infants of HCV viremic mothers, etc. Screening of blood product reduced markedly the prevalence of post-transfusion HCV infection, but the prevention of sporadic cases requires HCV vaccination which is still under investigation.

Citing Articles

NLRP3 inflammasome activation contributes to acute liver injury caused by CVA6 infection in mice.

Xie Y, Hu Q, Duan G, Wang F, Feng F, Li D BMC Infect Dis. 2024; 24(1):1251.

PMID: 39501208 PMC: 11539563. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-10136-2.

References

Hsu H, Chang M, Chen D, Lee C, SUNG J . Baseline seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in children in Taipei, 1984: a study just before mass hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan. J Med Virol. 1986; 18(4):301-7. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890180402. View

Beasley R, Hwang L, Lin C, Stevens C, Wang K, Sun T . Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) efficacy in the interruption of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus carrier state. Initial report of a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 1981; 2(8243):388-93. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)90832-1. View

Beasley R, Hwang L . Postnatal infectivity of hepatitis B surface antigen-carrier mothers. J Infect Dis. 1983; 147(2):185-90. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/147.2.185. View

Bhattacharya D, Bhattacharjee S, De M, Lahiri P . Prevalence of hepatitis C in transfusion dependent thalassaemics & haemophilics. Indian J Med Res. 1991; 94:430-2. View

Hsu H, Chang M, Hsieh K, Lee C, Lin H, Hwang L . Cellular immune response to HBcAg in mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus. Hepatology. 1992; 15(5):770-6. DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840150505. View

Chang M, Chen P, Chen J, Lai M, Hsu H, Lian D . Hepatitis B virus integration in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma in childhood. Hepatology. 1991; 13(2):316-20. View

Marcellin P, Bernuau J, Martinot-Peignoux M, Larzul D, Xu L, Tran S . Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in asymptomatic anti-HIV1 negative pregnant women and their children. Dig Dis Sci. 1993; 38(12):2151-5. DOI: 10.1007/BF01299888. View

Chang M, Ni Y, Hwang L, Lin K, Lin H, Chen P . Long term clinical and virologic outcome of primary hepatitis C virus infection in children: a prospective study. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1994; 13(9):769-73. DOI: 10.1097/00006454-199409000-00003. View

Lin H, Kao J, Hsu H, Ni Y, Yeh S, Hwang L . Possible role of high-titer maternal viremia in perinatal transmission of hepatitis C virus. J Infect Dis. 1994; 169(3):638-41. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/169.3.638. View

10.

Ohto H, Terazawa S, Sasaki N, Hino K, Ishiwata C, Kako M . Transmission of hepatitis C virus from mothers to infants. The Vertical Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus Collaborative Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1994; 330(11):744-50. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199403173301103. View

11.

Beasley R, Hwang L, Lin C, Leu M, Stevens C, SZMUNESS W . Incidence of hepatitis B virus infections in preschool children in Taiwan. J Infect Dis. 1982; 146(2):198-204. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/146.2.198. View

12.

Clemente M, Congia M, Lai M, Lilliu F, Lampis R, Frau F . Effect of iron overload on the response to recombinant interferon-alfa treatment in transfusion-dependent patients with thalassemia major and chronic hepatitis C. J Pediatr. 1994; 125(1):123-8. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(94)70138-5. View

13.

Rizzetto M, Canese M, Arico S, Crivelli O, Trepo C, Bonino F . Immunofluorescence detection of new antigen-antibody system (delta/anti-delta) associated to hepatitis B virus in liver and in serum of HBsAg carriers. Gut. 1977; 18(12):997-1003. PMC: 1411847. DOI: 10.1136/gut.18.12.997. View

14.

Chen D, Kuo G, SUNG J, Lai M, Sheu J, Chen P . Hepatitis C virus infection in an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B and chronic liver disease: the Taiwan experience. J Infect Dis. 1990; 162(4):817-22. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/162.4.817. View

15.

Chang M, Hsu H, Hsu H, Ni Y, Chen J, Chen D . The significance of spontaneous hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion in childhood: with special emphasis on the clearance of hepatitis B e antigen before 3 years of age. Hepatology. 1995; 22(5):1387-92. View

16.

Al-Faleh F, Ayoola E, Al-Jeffry M, Al-Rashed R, Al-Mofarreh M, Arif M . Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus among Saudi Arabian children: a community-based study. Hepatology. 1991; 14(2):215-8. View

17.

Hsu H, Chang M, Chen D, Lee C . Hepatitis D virus infection in children with acute or chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Taiwan. J Pediatr. 1988; 112(6):888-92. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(88)80209-9. View

18.

Maggiore G, Hadchouel M, Sessa F, Vinci M, Craxi A, Marzani M . A retrospective study of the role of delta agent infection in children with HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis. Hepatology. 1985; 5(1):7-9. DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840050103. View

19.

Makino S, Chang M, Shieh C, KAMAHORA T, Vannier D, Govindarajan S . Molecular cloning and sequencing of a human hepatitis delta (delta) virus RNA. Nature. 1987; 329(6137):343-6. DOI: 10.1038/329343a0. View

20.

Ni Y, Lin H, Chen P, Hsu H, Chen D, Chang M . Temporal profile of hepatitis C virus antibody and genome in infants born to mothers infected with hepatitis C virus but without human immunodeficiency virus coinfection. J Hepatol. 1994; 20(5):641-5. DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8278(05)80353-8. View