Journal of Virus Eradication (Jul 2015)

Treating hepatitis C virus in children: time for a new paradigm

  • Claire Thorne,
  • Giuseppe Indolfi,
  • Anna Turkova,
  • Carlo Giaquinto,
  • Eleni Nastouli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/s2055-6640(20)30500-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1, no. 3
pp. 203 – 205

Abstract

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Hepatitis C virus infection is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. In the paediatric population, HCV infection is underdiagnosed and undertreated in the absence of robust screening policies worldwide, and a lack of tolerable, effective treatment. The recent advances in HCV drug development allow for optimism, a change in outcomes for the millions of children infected with this virus and a unique opportunity for strategies aiming at HCV eradication. The rapid development of the new compounds has been followed by a welcome shift in the regulatory processes; however, strategies aiming at improving diagnosis, selecting the best combinations and addressing mother-to-child transmission issues are required for the new therapeutic agents to be introduced safely and effectively in the paediatric population and to contribute to the goal of virus eradication.

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