Prospective study of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus: a 10-year survey (1990-2000).
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We also aimed to analyze the time of clearance of maternal antibodies in the serum of non-infected babies.


METHODS
Between March 1990 and March 2000, 170 consecutive anti-HCV-positive women and their 188 babies entered this prospective study. All women were analyzed for HCV-RNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The babies were followed-up until HCV-antibody clearance or until the diagnosis of HCV infection.


RESULTS
The vertical transmission rate was 2.7% overall, and it was higher in HIV co-infected women (5.4%, 2/37) than in HIV-negative women (2.0%, 3/151). All infected infants were born to mothers who had HCV viremia at delivery. The transmission rate was influenced by maternal levels of viremia. 37.2% of uninfected children became HCV-antibody negative by 6 months and 88.0% by 12 months. Babies born from HCV-RNA-positive mothers lost anti-HCV antibodies later (9.21 +/- 3.72 months) than babies born from HCV-RNA-negative mothers (7.47 +/- 3.46 months) ( p < 0.05, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test).


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of HCV vertical transmission is very low in HCV-positive/HIV-negative women and it is restricted to infants born to HCV viremic mothers. High maternal viral load is predictive of the vertical transmission. The clearance time of antibodies in non-infected babies is significantly longer if the mother is viremic.
Ferrero
Simone
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. simoneferrero@hotmail.com
Lungaro
Pietro
P
Bruzzone
Bianca Marisa
BM
Gotta
Cristina
C
Bentivoglio
Giorgio
G
Ragni
Nicola
N
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000254:growth & development; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000254:growth & development*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral