Chronic hepatitis C in Israeli children.

Natural history, epidemiology, and histopathological features of chronic hepatis C (CHC) are well established in adults. Data on histopathological findings of CHC in children are still limited and controversial. We aimed to evaluate the histopathological features of CHC in children in Israel. We reviewed, retrospectively, 20 liver specimens from 20 children with CHC for inflammation and fibrosis, hepatocyte necrosis, fatty changes, cholestasis, bile duct damage, sinusoidal lymphocytosis, and glycogen storage. The most common histological feature was portal inflammation (95%) and lobular inflammation (70%). Sinusoidal lymphocytosis was present in 85% and glycogen storage vacuoles in 40%. Most of the children (80%) had no fibrosis, 15% had mild fibrosis and 5% moderate fibrosis. Advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis was not found. No correlation was found between the age at biopsy and any of the histological parameters. Our study shows that children with CHC have a different phenotype of liver disease with slowly progressive natural history irrespective of duration of the disease.