Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Childhood Chronic Hepatitis B Infection Diagnosed in England

the UK-born children were either Pakistani (25%) or Chinese (25%). Most children (n = 216, 66%) were asymptomatic, with only 60 (18.5%) ever receiving any antiviral therapy, although 2 developed cirrhosis in childhood and 1 hepatocellular carcinoma. Horizontal transmission among UK-born children was identified in only 3 children born since 2001, when universal antenatal hepatitis B virus screening was introduced. Most children born to antenatally diagnosed hepatitis B virus-positive mothers (49/51, 96%) had received at least 1 hepatitis B vaccine dose after birth. Conclusions: In England, the prevalence of diagnosed childhood CHB is low, although the potential number of undiagnosed cases is difficult to estimate. Further efforts are required to strengthen the current antenatal screening program and newly diagnosed cases should be referred for specialist follow up.