Vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus in a hospital in southern Brazil.
BACKGROUND
There still are controversies concerning the vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus in pregnant women, as well as the rate of vertical transmission of this virus.


METHODS
Between August 1998 and November 1999, 1,090 consecutive pregnant women were screened for anti-hepatitis C virus; positive results were confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction assay. Patient's viral load was evaluated by the branched deoxyribonucleic acid assay. Hepatitis C virus genotype was identified by direct sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction amplification products. The same tests were performed in the children born from infected mothers at the 1st and 6th month of life.


RESULTS
Of the 1,090 mothers surveyed, 29 were positive for anti-hepatitis C virus (prevalence of 2.66%). Twenty-five patients presented with hepatitis C virus RNA, with a median hepatitis C virus viral load of 3.132 +/- 5.891 MEq/mL. Twenty-two patients (six human immunodeficiency virus-coinfected) were followed and gave birth to 23 children; 18 of them had blood samples tested at the 1st month of life, and 22, at the 6th month. Vertical transmission rate was 5.56%; it affected a girl who had hepatitis C virus RNA detectable only in the 1st month sample (41.570 MEq/mL). The mother who transmitted hepatitis C virus was coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and presented with an hepatitis C virus viral load of 3.765 MEq/mL, with 100% homology with her daughter's hepatitis C virus genotype.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in pregnant women should not be neglected, and early diagnosis of vertical transmission and the follow up of infected children should be emphasized.
Peixoto
Mário Ferreira
MF
Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Mattos
Angelo Alves de
AA
Remião
José Oscar dos Reis
JO
Alexandre
Cláudio Osmar Pereira
CO
Lemos
Sibele Krebs de
SK
Azevedo
Ana Maria Ponzio de
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019562:Viral Load
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral