Proposal of a step-wise follow-up for hepatitis C seropositive mothers and their infants.
Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis C virus can take place in utero, during labour or after birth. Rate of vertical transmission varies widely between surveys but is around 5-6%. Maternal risk factors which may condition perinatal transmission risk are HIV/HCV coinfection, drug use, viral load, viral genotype, type of delivery and breastfeeding. On the basis of recent data, we propose a step-wise follow-up for HCV seropositive mothers and their infants. This proposal might represent an important occasion to unify behaviors in different Obstetrics-Gynecology and Neonatology Units.
Zuccotti
G V
GV
Clinica Pediatrica dell'Università di Milano, Ospedale San Paolo, Milano. zuccottig@libero.it
Cucchi
C
C
Torcoletti
M
M
Gemmellaro
L
L
Sala
D
D
Salvini
F
F
Riva
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001942:Breast Feeding; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006296:Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000914:Antibodies, Viral