Mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the rate of perinatal transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
Follow-up study of newborn children of mothers with chronic HCV infection.


METHODS
A university hospital in Sweden.


METHODS
Fourteen women with chronic HCV infection and their 21 newly born children.


METHODS
Detection of HCV RNA in serum by the polymerase chain reaction and detection of anti-HCV antibody by second generation assays.


RESULTS
All mothers were found to be positive for anti-HCV antibody both by second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-2); all also had detectable serum HCV RNA. Two children had long-lasting alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations, and one of them became HCV RNA positive. None of the other children developed biochemical hepatitis. However, two additional children had temporary viremia. Only the child with biochemical and biopsy-proven hepatitis and detectable HCV RNA in multiple blood samples actively produced anti-HCV antibody.


CONCLUSIONS
Mother-to-infant transmission of HCV infection from chronically infected women without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection seems to be uncommon.
Wejstål
R
R
Department of Infectious Diseases, Ostra Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Widell
A
A
Månsson
A S
AS
Hermodsson
S
S
Norkrans
G
G
D001483:Base Sequence; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012698:Serologic Tests
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral