Different outcomes of vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus in a twin pregnancy.
The risk of vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) from mother to infant has been well documented, but the exact mode of transmission is still unclear. In a set of monochorionic diamniotic monozygous twins, only the second baby was infected with HCV from the mother who was positive for serum HCV-RNA. The babies had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery 3 min apart and they were both bottle fed from the outset. The second baby developed clinical hepatitis that persisted to 30 months follow up. The intrauterine environment should have been identical for these twins, and therefore, the maternal HCV factors, including viral load are not the sole determining factors for mother-to-infant transmission of HCV.
Inui
Ayano
A
Department of Pediatrics, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan. inui19@me.ndmc.ac.jp
Fujisawa
Tomoo
T
Sogo
Tsuyoshi
T
Komatsu
Haruki
H
Isozaki
Atsushi
A
Sekine
Isao
I
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D013997:Time Factors; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
D000410:Alanine Transaminase