Liver biopsy is a standard method used for obtaining liver tissue for histopathological evaluation. Since reliable serological and virological tests are currently available, liver biopsy is no longer needed for the etiological diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B and C. However, liver histology remains the gold standard as a prognostic tool, providing information about the liver disease progression (grading of necroinflammatory activity and staging of fibrosis) and serving clinicians in the management and therapeutic decisions. In general, histopathological evaluation is indicated before starting the antiviral treatment. Main limitations of the liver biopsy include its invasive and painful procedure, sampling errors and the inter- and intra-observer variability. In addition, indications for the liver biopsy in pediatric patients with chronic viral hepatitis were questioned recently, and efforts have been made toward the development of non-invasive methods as an alternative to the liver biopsy. The most commonly used methods are novel imaging studies (elastography) and combinations of biomarkers. However, to date, none of these tests was validated in children with chronic viral hepatitis. In this review, we present the current status of the liver biopsy in the management of chronic viral hepatitis B and C in pediatric population, including specific indications, complications, contraindications, problems, limitations, and alternative non-invasive methods.

Long-term analyses of demographical and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients can provide a better overview of the clinical course of the disease. They can also help understand whether changes in infection symptomatology, disease severity, and outcome occur over time. We aimed to analyze the demographics, early symptoms of infection, laboratory parameters, and clinical manifestation of COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the first 17 months of the pandemic in Poland (March 2020–June 2021). The patients’ demographical and clinical data (n = 5199) were extracted from the national SARSTer database encompassing 30 medical centers in Poland and statistically assessed. Patients aged 50–64 were most commonly hospitalized due to COVID-19 regardless of the pandemic period. There was no shift in the age of admitted patients and patients who died throughout the studied period. Men had higher C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels and required oxygenation and mechanical ventilation more often. No gender difference in fatality rate was seen, although the age of males who died was significantly lower. A share of patients with baseline SpO₂ < 91%, presenting respiratory, systemic and gastrointestinal symptoms was higher in the later phase of a pandemic than in the first three months. Cough, dyspnea and fever were more often presented in men, while women had a higher frequency of anosmia, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. This study shows some shifts in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity between March 2020 and July 2021 in the Polish cohort of hospitalized patients and documents various gender-differences in this regard. The results represent a reference point for further analyses conducted under the dominance of different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Liver disease in HIV-infected patients may result from the infection itself, antiretroviral treatment or comorbidities. In this study, we analysed liver disease in 79 HIV-infected children and adolescents aged 14.0 ± 5.1 years. All the patients were receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), with a mean duration of 11.5 ± 4.7 years. Six patients (8%) had detectable HIV viral load, and 8/79 (10%) of the participants were coinfected with hepatitis B or C virus (HCV, 6/8 or HBV, 2/8). Liver disease was defined as an elevation of any of the following parameters: alanine or aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST), total bilirubin, and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGTP). For the noninvasive evaluation of liver fibrosis, the AST-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) were calculated. Liver disease was diagnosed in 20/79 (25%) of the patients, including 13/71 (18%) of participants without coinfection and 7/8 (88%) with coinfection (p < 0.0001). All of the liver markers except bilirubin were significantly higher in the coinfected group. APRI scores indicated significant fibrosis in 5/8 (63%) of patients with coinfection. HBV or HCV coinfection and detectable HIV viral load were independently positively associated with APRI (p = 0.0001, and p = 0.0001) and FIB-4 (p = 0.001, and p = 0.002, respectively). In conclusion, liver disease in HIV-infected children and adolescents results mainly from HBV or HCV coinfection. Effective antiretroviral treatment is protective against hepatic abnormalities.

The influence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection on liver histology in children remains unknown. We analyzed histopathological features in 70 treatment-naïve children: 10 with HBV/HCV coinfection (case group A), 30 with HBV (control group B), and 30 with HCV (control group C). Liver biopsies were scored for grading and staging according to Knodell’s modified system and were tested for an association with demographic and laboratory data. The mean grade was higher in coinfected children compared to control group C (6.2 ± 3.0 vs. 4.2 ± 2.5, p = 0.04), but not control group B (p = 0.47). A higher proportion of patients with moderate to severe necroinflammation were observed in case group A compared to isolated HCV (p = 0.05). Mean staging did not differ between the case and control groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that HBV/HCV coinfection and aminotransferase activity were independently associated with moderate to severe necroinflammatory activity

Data on the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children are limited, and studies from Europe are scarce. We analyzed the clinical severity and epidemiologic aspects of COVID-19 in consecutive children aged 0–18 years, referred with a suspicion of COVID-19 between February 1, and April 15, 2020. RT-PCR on a nasopharyngeal swab was used to confirm COVID-19. 319 children met the criteria of a suspected case. COVID-19 was diagnosed in 15/319 (4.7%) patients (8 male; mean age 10.5 years). All of them had household contact with an infected relative. Five (33.3%) patients were asymptomatic. In 9/15 (60.0%) children, the course of the disease was mild, and in 1/15 (6.7%), it was moderate, with the following symptoms: fever (46.7%), cough (40%), diarrhea (20%), vomiting (13.3%), rhinitis (6.7%), and shortness of breath (6.7%). In the COVID-19-negative patients, other infections were confirmed, including influenza in 32/319 (10%). The clinical course of COVID-19 and influenza differed significantly based on the clinical presentation. In conclusion, the clinical course of COVID-19 in children is usually mild or asymptomatic. In children suspected of having COVID-19, other infections should not be overlooked. The main risk factor for COVID-19 in children is household contact with an infected relative.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been met with an unprecedented response from the scientific community, leading to the development, investigation, and authorization of vaccines and antivirals, ultimately reducing the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on global public health. However, SARS-CoV-2 is far from being eradicated, continues to evolve, and causes substantial health and economic burdens. In this narrative review, we posit essential points on SARS-CoV-2 and its responsible management during the transition from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. As discussed, despite Omicron (sub)variant(s) causing clinically milder infections, SARS-CoV-2 is far from being a negligible pathogen. It requires continued genomic surveillance, particularly if one considers that its future (sub)lineages do not necessarily have to be milder. Antivirals and vaccines remain the essential elements in COVID-19 management. However, the former could benefit from further development and improvements in dosing, while the seasonal administration of the latter requires simplification to increase interest and tackle vaccine hesitancy. It is also essential to ensure the accessibility of COVID-19 pharmaceuticals and vaccines in low-income countries and improve the understanding of their use in the context of the long-term goals of SARS-CoV-2 management. Regardless of location, the primary role of COVID-19 awareness and education must be played by healthcare workers, who directly communicate with patients and serve as role models for healthy behaviors.