Mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus. Lombardy Study Group on Vertical HCV Transmission.
To assess the risk of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV), we followed up 116 babies of anti-HCV positive mothers, of whom 22 were coinfected with HIV and 94 had HCV alone. None of the babies whose mothers had HCV alone acquired HCV, while 8 babies (36%; p < 0.001) of mothers co-infected with HIV acquired HCV (5 babies) or HCV and HIV (3). There was no association between any specific maternal HCV genotype and enhanced risk of neonatal infection. HCV-RNA levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in mothers with HIV coinfection than in those with HCV alone. These data indicate that maternal HIV status correlates with enhanced level of viraemia which favours neonatal infection.
Zanetti
A R
AR
Institute of Virology, University of Milan, Italy.
Tanzi
E
E
Paccagnini
S
S
Principi
N
N
Pizzocolo
G
G
Caccamo
M L
ML
D'Amico
E
E
Cambiè
G
G
Vecchi
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000635:transmission; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies