Post-partum acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis in a hepatitis C-carrier mother.
Hepatitis C virus infection is a global health problem; however, the interaction between pregnancy and chronic hepatitis C remains controversial. A Taiwanese woman with chronic hepatitis C had an uncomplicated pregnancy and gave birth to a female baby through spontaneous vaginal delivery. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA were measured before pregnancy, in the first and third trimesters, 1 and 3 months after delivery, respectively. During her pregnancy, the serum aminotransferase levels became normalized, while the serum HCV-RNA levels declined significantly and consecutively with the lowest viral load in the third trimester. One month after delivery, she had an abrupt elevation of serum HCV-RNA level, paralleling a hepatitis flare with serum aminotransferase level more than 20-fold the upper normal limit. The serum HCV-RNA levels declined thereafter, and serum aminotransferase levels became normalized 3 months postdelivery. She was infected with HCV genotype 1a throughout the entire follow-up period, and other causes of hepatitis flare were excluded. In conclusion, post-partum acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis may occur in HCV-carrier mothers, and an abrupt elevation of serum HCV-RNA level may be associated with the acute exacerbation.
Chen
J D
JD
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chung
J L
JL
Kao
J H
JH
Chen
D S
DS
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000503:physiopathology; D019562:Viral Load
D000410:Alanine Transaminase