Hep C Testing Recommendations Developed for Perinatally Exposed Infants
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Nov. 2, 2023 -- Recommendations have been developed for hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing among perinatally exposed infants. The recommendations and report are published in the Nov. 3 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Noting that about 6 to 7 percent of perinatally exposed infants and children will acquire HCV infection and that many perinatally infected children are not tested or linked to care, Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, M.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues introduced four new recommendations for HCV screening of perinatally exposed infants and children.
The report issued four recommendations: All perinatally exposed infants should undergo HCV testing at age 2 to 6 months with a nucleic acid test (NAT) for HCV RNA detection; all infants and children with detectable HCV RNA should consult with health care providers with expertise in pediatric hepatitis C management; no further follow-up or testing is recommended for perinatally exposed infants and children with an undetectable HCV RNA result at or after age 2 months, unless clinically warranted; and NAT is recommended for perinatally exposed infants and children aged 7 to 17 months who have not been tested previously. For perinatally exposed children aged 18 months and older who have not been tested previously, hepatitis C virus antibody testing is recommended, followed by NAT for HCV RNA.
"Using a testing strategy of highly sensitive and specific NATs for RNA detection among infants and children perinatally exposed to HCV increases the identification of children with HCV infection in whom substantial morbidity and mortality might develop," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2023
Read this next
Soy Consumption in Children Tied to Better Thinking, Attention
TUESDAY, July 16, 2024 -- School-aged children who consume more soy foods may have improved thinking and attention, according to a study presented during NUTRITION 2024, the...
Total Dietary Quality Score Improved for U.S. Children During 2005 to 2020
MONDAY, July 15, 2024 -- Total dietary scores improved for U.S. children during 2005 to 2020, with increases for all diet adequacy components, apart from dairy, according to a...
Transcatheter PDA Closure Increasingly Used for Very Low Birth-Weight Infants
MONDAY, July 15, 2024 -- For very low birth-weight (VLBW) infants, transcatheter closure of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is increasingly used, with selected short-term...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.