The advantages of serum alpha fetoprotein and abdominal sonography as screening instruments for HCC have not been studied in children. Some consultants will carry out periodic sonographic screening at outlined intervals (each 2--5 years) in youngsters with chronic HCV infection; others will do these exams solely in these with advanced liver illness and/or rising serum alpha fetoprotein concentrations (748). The risk for HCC in HCV-infected kids, with or without HIV infection, isn't known. Some consultants proceed to perform serial HCV RNA testing at 6- to 12-month intervals for a further 1--5 years to exclude late virologic relapse. Decreases in HCV RNA ≥2 logs beneath the baseline throughout the primary 12 weeks of therapy represent an early virologic response (730). A sustained virologic response is outlined as absence of detectable HCV RNA using an HCV RNA assay with a lower limit of detection of ≥50 IU/mL at 24 weeks after antiviral treatment ends.
