The main purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of peginterferon alfa-2a (PEG-2a) in combination with ribavirin (RV) and PEG-2a alone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (CHC) infection in children.
Another purpose of this study is to determine whether PEG-2a in combination with RV or PEG-2a alone will result in a longer response rate in children with CHC.
An ancillary study is a study that is carried out using PEDS-C patients or materials and is not a required part of the PEDS-C trials. Ancillary studies propose questions and test hypotheses relevant to the goals and purposes of the PEDS-C trial.
The main purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of peginterferon alfa-2a (PEG-2a) in combination with ribavirin (RV) and PEG-2a alone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (CHC) infection in children. 
