Should children born to HCV positive women be routinely tested?
A. Yes. Testing should not be performed before 12 months of age, when passively transferred maternal anti-HCV declines below detectable levels. IG and antiviral agents are not recommended for post exposure prophylaxis of infants born to HCV positive women. If earlier diagnosis is desired, RT-PCR for HCV RNA may be performed at or after the infant’s first well-child visit at age 1-2 months. Umbilical cord blood should not be for diagnosis of perinatal HCV infection because cord blood can be contaminated by maternal blood. If positive for either anti-HCV or HCV RNA, children should be evaluated for the presence or development of liver disease, and those children with persistently elevated ALT levels should be referred to a specialist for medical management. For more information: downloadable PDF file (.PDF) file, 489K. Also available: online version (H.T.M.L.).
