Increased transmission of vertical hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected infants of HIV- and HCV-coinfected women.
The transmission of perinatal hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was studied retrospectively in 62 infants born to 54 HCV- and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfected women enrolled in a prospective natural history study of HIV transmission. Infant HCV infection was assessed by nested RNA polymerase chain reaction. The overall rate of vertical HCV transmission was 16.4% (9/62). Most HCV-infected children did not develop antibodies to HCV. The rate of HCV infection was higher among HIV-infected infants (40%) than among HIV-uninfected infants (7.5%; odds ratio, 8.2; P = .009). This difference in transmission was not related to differences in maternal HCV load, as measured by branched DNA assay, or mode of delivery. Why HIV-infected infants of HCV- and HIV-coinfected women have significantly higher rates of perinatal HCV transmission remains to be elucidated. The rate of HCV transmission in HIV-uninfected infants of HCV- and HIV-coinfected women is similar to that reported for infants born to HIV-seronegative mothers.
Papaevangelou
V
V
Department of Pediatrics, New York University Medical Center-Bellevue Hospital Center, New York 10016, USA.
Pollack
H
H
Rochford
G
G
Kokka
R
R
Hou
Z
Z
Chernoff
D
D
Hanna
B
B
Krasinski
K
K
Borkowsky
W
W
D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral