Low frequency of hepatitis C antibodies among children from foreign countries adopted in Swedish families.

89 children from 20 countries adopted to Swedish parents between 1984 and 1988 were tested for the presence of hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV). Sera taken soon after their arrival to Sweden were retrospectively analyzed. Two children, an 18-month-old boy from Poland and an 8-month-old girl from India, were anti-HCV positive. The girl from India had lost the anti-HCV antibodies in sera taken at the age of 13 and 14 months. These antibodies were probably passively derived from the mother. The Polish boy had a strong positive reactivity and is likely to have had an HCV infection early in life. Thus, there is a low prevalence of anti-HCV positivity among children from foreign countries adopted in Swedish families.