title: Multicenter trial on mother-to-infant transmission of GBV-C virus. The Lombardy Study Group on Vertical/Perinatal Hepatitis Viruses Transmission.
abstract: Evidence indicates that the GBV-C or hepatitis G virus can cause persistent infection in humans, but little is known on the importance of vertical transmission. To assess the risk of mother-to-infant transmission and the clinical outcome of infected babies, we investigated 175 anti-HCV positive mothers and followed-up their children for 3-33 months. GBV-C RNA was detected by RT-PCR and anti-E2 antibody was assayed by EIA. Thirty-four (19.4%) women were GBV-C RNA positive and transmission occurred to 21 (61.8%) babies; 20 (95.2%) acquired GBV-C alone, and one (4.8%) GBV-C and HCV. Maternal factors such as intravenous drug use, HIV coinfection, HCV-RNA positivity, and type of feeding were not correlated with GBV-C transmission. GBV-C RNA remained persistently positive in all infected babies but one baby who seroconverted to anti-E2. Seven (35%) babies with GBV-C alone developed marginally elevated ALT; the baby with HCV and GBV-C co-infection had the highest ALT peak value (664 IU/l). Seven of the 141 (5%) babies born to the GBV-C RNA negative mothers acquired HCV and six (85.7%) had abnormal ALT. The mean ALT peak value was significantly higher (P < 0.05) for babies with HCV than for those with GBV-C. None of the children with GBV-C or with HCV became icteric. GBV-C is frequently present in anti-HCV positive women. The infection is transmitted efficiently from mother to baby and rate of transmission is much higher than that for HCV. GBV-C can cause persistent infection in babies but usually without clear evidence of liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Milan, Italy. zanetti@imiucca.csi.unimi.it
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanzi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romanó
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zuin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minola
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zapparoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ghisotti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laffler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins