Hepatitis C in Infants, Children & Adolescents

Every Tuesday 8:00-9:00 AM

Chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in young adults has led to an increased number of infants with perinatal HCV exposure and subsequent infection. New acquisition of HCV in adolescents has also risen dramatically. Practitioners who provide primary care to children of all ages need to be familiar with the latest recommendations for testing for HCV and treatment options for those with confirmed chronic infection. This ECHO series will provide an overview of and facilitate case-based discussions related to HCV in infants, children, and adolescents. Sessions will be comprised of short didactic presentations (~20-30 minutes), followed by participant-led case presentations (new and follow-up cases).

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Introduction to screening for viral hepatitis
• Pathophysiology and clinical presentations of HCV
• Treatment of HCV in children
• HCV in pregnancy: outcomes, treatment, and the shared decision-making approach
• Harm reduction across the lifespan
• HCV screening in the newborn and recent CDC recommendations
• Adolescents as a target group for HCV screening
• Co-morbidities and other forms of hepatitis