Hepatitis C in International Adoptees

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. It is found less commonly than hepatitis B, but it has been identified in international adoptees. In a study of 357 Chinese adoptees, approximately 1% were documented infected with hepatitis C compared with 3.5% with hepatitis B. The hepatitis C virus is found in the infected person’s blood and other body fluids. It can be passed from mother to baby at birth through vertical transmission or by horizontal transmission, including the transfer of blood from the infected person to another. Therefore, children born to mothers who have a history of drug use are at increased risk for the disease, as are children who received blood products in their country of origin. Most children with chronic hepatitis C appear healthy. However, they are at risk for long-term problems with liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Once hepatitis C is diagnosed, the child should be referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist familiar with the follow-up and current treatment options for this disease.