Treatment of chronic hepatitis c in children during the covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has revolutionized the treatment of this disease. DAAs are almost 100% effective, have a good safety profile, with a short duration of therapy. The first DAAs were registered for children in 2017. Currently, the first real-life therapeutic program is conducted in Po-land, in which children aged 12-18 from all over Poland with chronic hepatitis C are treated using DAAs. Pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS--CoV-2), which disrupted the functioning of the healthcare systems around the world, also affected the possibility of continuing therapeutic programs for chronic hepatitis C. This paper presents current recommendations on antiviral therapy in children with chronic hepatitis C during the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on the role and cooper-ation between specialistic treatment centers, pediatricians, and primary care physicians. Copyright © 2020, Wydawnictwo Czelej Sp. z o.o.. All rights reserved.