RESUMO

Antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), investigated by second- and third-generation assays, were detected in 74% of 43 children with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. The polymerase chain reaction identified HCV ribonucleic acid in 26 (93%) of 28 seropositive and in 1 of 10 seronegative cases. Intermittent HCV ribonucleic acid positivity, suggesting low and fluctuating viremia, was frequent in younger patients.

Assuntos

Hepacivirus/isolamento & purificação , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite/análise , Hepatite C/virologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Viremia/virologia , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Doença Crônica , Feminino , Hepacivirus/fisiologia , Hepatite C/genética , Hepatite C/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite C , Humanos , Masculino , RNA Viral/análise , Viremia/genética , Viremia/imunologia , Replicação Viral