title: Maternal drug use is a preeminent risk factor for mother-to-child hepatitis C virus transmission: results from a multicenter study of 1372 mother-infant pairs.
abstract: This prospective multicenter study evaluated separately the significance of maternal injection drug use (IDU) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coinfection in vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV). In all, 1372 consecutive, unselected HCV antibody-positive mothers and their infants were studied. Maternal HIV-1 coinfection (crude odds ratios [OR], 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.66; P =.007) and IDU (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.37-1.78; P <.00001) were linked to mother-to-child HCV transmission in unadjusted analysis when all anti-HCV-positive mothers were evaluated. When only HCV RNA-positive mothers were evaluated, maternal IDU, but not maternal HIV-1 coinfection, was significantly associated with mother-to-child HCV transmission. Multivariable analysis confirmed the link between maternal IDU and HCV transmission (adjusted OR [AOR], 1.51; 95% CI, 1.19-1.92; P =.0006), but no association was found with HIV-1 coinfection (AOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.73-1.33; P =.93). IDU, but not HIV-1 coinfection, seems to be a preeminent risk factor for vertical HCV transmission.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic III, University of Florence and Pediatric Hospital A. Meyer, Via Luca Giordano 13, I-50132 Florence, Italy. m.resti@ao-meyer.toscana.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Resti
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azzari
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zuin
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giacchino
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bortolotti
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcellini
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriondo
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Martino
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vierucci
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies