PREVALENCE OF ASYMPTOMATIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION IN EGYPTIAN CHILDREN PRESENTED WITH HEPATOMEGALY; SINGLE CENTRE STUDY.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of asymptomatic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) in Egyptian children presented with hepatomegaly. Methods: Prospective observational analytical single centre study for children with hepatomegaly selected from Paediatric outpatient Clinic and paediatric department at Sayed Galal Hospitals, AL-Azhar-University, Cairo, Egypt. Sixty child included in this work, there age ranged from 4mo-9 years and they were 42 male and 18 females, all children presented with hepatomegaly without any other hepatic manifestations, none of these children was diagnosed as having symptoms or signs of advanced liver disease upon clinical examination, All children screened by ELISA for HCV and confirmed by HCV-RNA by RT-PCR. Liver biopsy was done to HCV confirmed cases to confirm diagnosis and disease staging. Results: Asymptomatic HCV infection was present in 6.7% in Egyptian children presented with hepatomegaly. Conclusion: children with firm hepatomegaly must undergo screening for viral hepatitis even they are asymptomatic.