What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a
viral infection of
the liver. The liver
becomes inflamed.
What is the cause?
Hepatitis C is
caused by a virus.
The virus is spread
through contact with
infected blood.
Adults can get
hepatitis C from
sharing razors or
needles, having
unprotected sex with
someone infected
with hepatitis C, or
blood transfusions.
Babies can be
exposed to mother's
blood during
pregnancy,
especially during
birth. Casual
contact, including
contact in daycare,
does not cause
hepatitis C.
How is it diagnosed?
About one in twenty
babies born to
mothers infected
with hepatitis C
will get the
infection. The baby
may be tested for
hepatitis C
antibodies after
birth. Because
mothers give their
own antibodies to
their fetus, the
baby after delivery
will have these
antibodies. This is
normal and does not
mean the child has
the infection. It
takes many months to
know if your child
is truly infected.
After about 18
months, it is
important to have
your toddler tested
for hepatitis C. If
the toddler does not
have the disease,
the antibodies will
all be gone. If the
baby has the
disease, the test
will show hepatitis
C antibodies.
Another way to check
for hepatitis C in
babies is to check
for the virus itself
(not antibodies).
This can be done
with a blood test
called RT-PCR
(reverse
transcriptase
polymerase chain
reaction).
It
is not known whether
hepatitis C is
passed through
breast milk.
However, it is
recommended that you
do not breast-feed
if you have a
cracked or bleeding
nipple.
What are the
symptoms?
Symptoms of
hepatitis C may be
mild or there may be
no symptoms at all.
Symptoms, when
present, may
include:
-
loss of appetite
-
tiredness
-
fever
-
nausea.
How is it treated?
There are new
treatments for
hepatitis C, but in
children they still
are considered
experimental. If
your child has
hepatitis C, he or
she should be
referred to a liver
specialist. The
specialist will talk
with you about risks
and benefits of
treatment. Children
will need to visit
their health care
providers often for
blood tests and
physical exams.
Contact your child's
health care provider
if:
-
Your child's
appetite
continues to
decrease.
-
Your child has
worsening
tiredness.
-
Your child has
vomiting,
diarrhea, or
abdominal pain.
-
Your child
develops
jaundice.
-
You have
additional
questions about
hepatitis C
infection.
