Increased vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus from hepatitis C virus-coinfected mothers. Women and Infants Transmission Study.
To determine if hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 487 HIV-infected pregnant women in the prospective, multicenter, Women and Infants Transmission Study had HCV antibody (anti-HCV by second-generation ELISA) and HCV RNA (by quantitative polymerase chain reaction) measured in peripartum maternal plasma; 161 (33%) were anti-HCV-positive. HIV vertical transmission occurred from 42 HCV-infected mothers (26.1%) versus 53 HCV-uninfected mothers (16.3%; odds radio [OR], 1.82; P = .01). In a logistic regression model that included maternal drug use, a potential confounder, HCV infection was marginally associated with perinatal HIV transmission (OR, 1.64; P = .05), whereas drug use was not. Women who transmitted HIV had higher levels of HCV RNA (median, 721,254 copies/mL) than those who did not (337,561 copies/mL; P = .01). Maternal HCV infection is associated with increased HIV vertical transmission. Further studies are needed to ascertain if HCV directly affects perinatal HIV transmission or is a marker for another factor, such as maternal drug use.
Hershow
R C
RC
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health and College of Medicine, 60612, USA.
Riester
K A
KA
Lew
J
J
Quinn
T C
TC
Mofenson
L M
LM
Davenny
K
K
Landesman
S
S
Cotton
D
D
Hanson
I C
IC
Hillyer
G V
GV
Tang
H B
HB
Thomas
D L
DL
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015215:Zidovudine