Seroprevalence and mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C in asymptomatic Egyptian women.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we sought to determine (1) the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, or its antibodies, in a healthy parturient Egyptian population and (2) the risk of mother-to-infant transmission in this population.


METHODS
The serum of 499 pregnant Egyptian women was tested for anti-HCV with ELISA-3 and for HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Neonatal cord blood and infant blood were similarly tested for anti-HCV and HCV RNA.


RESULTS
Recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) detected anti-HCV in 65/499 (13%) women; of these, 20/65 (31%) were PCR-positive. The total number of babies born was 499. Of the original group, 97 mothers and infants (HCV-negative) were lost to follow up and were excluded. Sixty-five anti-HCV-positive infants were born vaginally to the 65 anti-HCV-positive mothers, of which twenty (31%) corresponding mothers and babies were also positive for HCV RNA. Of these twenty babies, three died of hepatocellular disease by six months of age; sixteen developed chronic liver disease; the remaining nine remained asymptomatic but were serologically and PCR-positive. The mother-to-infant transmission rate was significantly increased (5%; P < 0.0001). Of the seropositive children, 45/65 (69%; P < 0.0001) seroreverted by eighteen months of age.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high prevalence of anti-HCV in healthy pregnant Egyptian women and vertical transmission is a major risk for chronic HCV carriers.
Kumar
R M
RM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Frossad
P M
PM
Hughes
P F
PF
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004534:Egypt; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase