Vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus: risk factors and infantile prognosis.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the incidence and risk factors of the vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to determine the prognosis of the carrier infants.


METHODS
At our hospital, 1,941 non-pathological (non-HIV carriers) Japanese pregnant women were screened for anti-HCV antibodies. Sera of the antibody-positive women were examined by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method, and the positive women and their infants were followed by testing HCV-related markers.


RESULTS
The HCV carrier rate among the pregnant women was 3.5% (68/1,941). Four among the 65 infants (6.2%) who were successfully followed for more than 6 months developed the HCV carrier-state. Of all the risk factors examined, only the elevation (> or = 110 IU/l) of maternal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was found to be significant for HCV vertical transmission. Seventy-five and 50% of the carrier infants manifested chemical hepatitis and seroconverted to an HCV-RNA-negative status, respectively, during the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of HCV vertical transmission was 6.2%. Half of the carrier infants became seronegative for HCV-RNA. HCV vertical transmission was significantly affected by the maternal serum ALT level prior to delivery.
Xiong
S K
SK
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan.
Okajima
Y
Y
Ishikawa
K
K
Watanabe
H
H
Inaba
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors
D017931:DNA Primers; D005819:Genetic Markers; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase