Hepatitis C in immunocompromised pediatric patients: an epidemiological analysis of data from a center of pediatric hematology, oncology and immunology

Abstract

Objective. To analyze the incidence of HCV in patients of the «Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology» (Center), to compare with the overall population incidence of HCV, to identify risk factors and risk groups of HCV infection in the Center’s patients. Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis of the HCV incidence of HCV patients of the Center who were admitted to the Center between 01.07.2014 and 31.12.2020 was carried out. The study included patients aged 0 to 18 years, from all regions of the country, who had previously received therapy at their place of residence. Patient profile: hematological, oncological, immunological and surgical. The indications for testing for HCV were: hospitalization at the Center, stay at the center for 4–6 months, clinical indications. To assess risk factors and identify risk groups for HCV incidence, the main epidemiological aspects (age, sex, disease characteristics, geographical prevalence) were analyzed. Results. The incidence of HCV in the Center’s patients was 1.7%, which is 5 times higher than the incidence of the entire population of the country, and 50 times higher than that of the pediatric population. The highest incidence rate was observed in children aged 1 to 2 years – 2.8%. When comparing the risks of infection of the Center’s patients with the children’s population of the country in age groups under 1 year, from 1 to 14 years, and from 14 to 19 years, an excess of 29, 24 and 9 times was revealed, respectively. When analyzing nosological forms, it was found that the highest HCV incidence was in patients with primary immunodeficiencies – 3.2%, while in patients with malignant neoplasms – 1.8%. The region with the highest prevalence of HCV in our study was the Far Eastern Federal District (9%), namely the Amur Region (14%). Conclusions. Thus, the morbidity of patients with oncological and hematological profiles and patients with primary immunodeficiencies clearly demonstrates the problem of implementing the artificial mechanism of HCV transmission, which requires taking measures regarding the safety of invasive manipulations.