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Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) is a safe and effective regimen used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The standard treatment duration is 12 weeks. There are no data available to support the shortened treatment. We aimed to present a case of an 11-year-old boy treated with a generic SOF/VEL for 8 weeks. The patient was admitted to our department 12 weeks after the end of treatment to establish the efficacy of the therapy (sustained virological response, SVR12). Laboratory testing revealed aminotransferases and bilirubin levels within the normal ranges, there were no abnormalities in the abdomen ultrasound, and transient elastography did not reveal any liver fibrosis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA tested with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method was undetectable. The patient achieved SVR12. We conclude that shortening treatment with SOF/VEL to 8 weeks may be effective for HCV elimination in children. The possibility of treatment shortening should be confirmed in further studies on larger groups of paediatric patients.

Since late 2021, we have observed a significant increase in the proportion of children infected with SARS-CoV-2. The course of the disease in children is usually sparsely symptomatic or asymptomatic. However, the predominance of new virus variants makes children more likely to become symptomatically ill and require hospitalisation. This paper aims to update recommendations for managing a child with COVID-19 in out- and inpatient settings. Current options for prevention and antiviral treatment are discussed, noting the limited availability of therapy for children. In most children with COVID-19, the basis for treatment remains symptomatic and supportive therapy and measures to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection spread.

Dengue is a viral, mosquito-spread disease with a high prevalence in tropical and subtropical areas. We report a case of travel-imported dengue haemorrhagic fever in a 15-year-old Polish boy. The patient presented with fever, headache, and muscle pain. He was initially diagnosed with influenza. He gradually developed skin rash, mild hepatosplenomegaly, episodic gingival bleeding, and mild symptoms of plasma leakage in the form of palms swelling. The laboratory results revealed leukopaenia and thrombocytopaenia with increasing haematocrit. Dengue virus infection was confirmed by simultaneous detection of NS1, IgM, and IgG antibodies. The patient was treated empirically in the critical phase with satisfactory outcome. The symptoms subsided and the platelet and leukocyte levels gradually reached the normal range for his age.

Facial nerve palsy occurs in paediatric population with the incidence of 4.2-15.3/100 000. In most cases etiology remains unknown (Bell’s palsy – idiopathic facial nerve palsy). Infectious agents account for around 25% of cases. This paper describes 2 cases of facial nerve palsy due to herpes zoster infection: a 9-year-old girl with vesicular lesions on the right side of the neck and face with concomitant right sided facial nerve palsy, and a 16-year-old boy* with lesions located in the left external auditory meatus who developed Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. The course of the disease and response to treatment in both patients was significantly different.