[Vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus infection].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the mechanism for vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.


METHODS
This study included 6 pairs of mothers and fetuses who were positive for anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA, and 2 pairs of fathers and fetus in whom the father was positive for anti-HCV and HCV RNA while the mother was negative. HCV genotypes were detected by PCR and the nucleotide sequences of HCV genome spanning the core and envelope gene region (HCV C/E1) determined and compared.


RESULTS
The HCV genotypes of the mothers and fetus were consistent. Five mother-fetus pairs were of genotype II, 1 of genotype III, with high homology of HCV between the mothers and their own fetuses. In contrast, in the two father-fetus pairs, no HCV RNA was detected in the fetuses in spite of the positivity of the fathers.


CONCLUSIONS
Vertical transmission of HCV infection from mothers to fetus is a clinical entity.
Li
Min-min
MM
The First Affiliated Hospital of Ji'nan University, Guangzhou 510630, China. hy-limm@21cn.com
Liu
Shu-wen
SW
Wang
Shan-shan
SS
Wang
Xiao-ning
XN
D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral