[Cirrhosis and cirrhogenic diseases in Tunisian children. Multicenter study of 65 cases].

Over a period of 10 years, 65 cases of hepatic cirrhosis and cirrhogenic disease have been observed in five Pediatric Centers in mid Tunisia. The age of the patients ranged from 30 days to 14 years. The main etiology was biliary cirrhosis (24 cases) followed by post-hepatic cirrhosis (15 cases). Eight cases had a metabolic origin, which was Wilson's diseases in five cases. Three children had cirrhosis of a pre-hepatic origin. In 15 children, the liver biopsy showed the presence of cirrhosis but the etiology could not be found. Preventive measures are needed in order to reduce the frequency of cirrhosis among Tunisian children: 1) early recognition of biliary atresia, 2) vaccination against hepatitis B virus of at risk neonates and children, 3) Genetic counselling and search for familial cases when cirrhosis of metabolic origin is identified, particularly Wilson's disease.