Ling SC, Lin HHS, Murray KF, et al. - Researchers sought to determine the outcomes of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a large, prospectively studied cohort of children in the USA and Canada. A prospective observational study of children with chronic HBV registered in 7 clinical centers and assessed at baseline, weeks 24 and 48, and annually thereafter, with analysis of demographic, clinical, physical examination and blood test data. The sample consisted of 362 children. Many children remained at risk of progressive liver disease due to active hepatitis in a cohort of children with chronic HBV infection in the US and Canada, but major clinical outcomes like cirrhosis, cancer and death were uncommon. Many children who met treatment criteria went untreated.