Prevalence and Clinical Outcome of Hepatitis C Infection in Children Who Underwent Cardiac Surgery before the Implementation of Blood-Donor Screening

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common cause of hepatitis after blood transfusion. Severe liver damage from hepatitis C has become one of the leading indications for liver transplantation. 1 – 4 Children who have had multiple transfusions as a result of chronic anemia, cancer, or hemophilia, as well as patients who have received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or long-term parenteral nutrition, are at high risk for HCV infection; the reported prevalence ranges from 10 to 85 percent. 5 – 12 Intrafamilial and mother-to-baby transmission have been reported. 13 – 17 There are few data on the epidemiology, histologic features, and clinical outcome of hepatitis . . .