title: Genetic variation in interleukin 28B with respect to vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus and spontaneous clearance in HCV-infected children.
abstract: The vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV-VT) is a major route of HCV infection in children, but the risk factors remain incompletely understood. This study analyzed the role of interleukin 28B (IL28B) in HCV-VT and in the spontaneous clearance of HCV among infected infants. Between 1991 and 2009, 145 mothers were recruited for this study: 100 were HCV-RNA+ve / human immunodeficiency virus negative (HIV-ve), with 128 children, and 33 were HCV-RNA-ve/HCV antibody+ve, with 43 children. The infants were tested for HCV-RNA at birth and at regular intervals until the age of 6 years. IL28B (single nucleotide polymorphism rs12979860) was determined in the mothers and children. HCV-VT was assumed when children presented HCV-RNA+ve in two subsequent blood samples. HCV-VT-infected infants were categorized as: (1) transient viremia with posterior HCV-RNA-ve and without serum-conversion; (2) persistent infection with serum-conversion. Of the 31 mothers with CC polymorphism, 19 (61%) were HCV-RNA+ve, whereas among the 68 mothers with non-CC polymorphism, 56 (82%) were HCV-RNA+ve. In all, 26 of 128 (20%) infants born to the HCV-RNA+ve mothers acquired HCV infection, but only 9 (7%) were chronically infected. The rate of HCV-VT was higher among the mothers with higher HCV viremia. No HCV-VT was detected in the HCV-RNA-ve women. Neither the mothers' nor the childrens' IL-28 status was associated with an increased risk of HCV-VT. The factors influencing viral clearance among the infected children were genotype non-1 and genotype CC of IL28B. In logistic regression, child CC polymorphism was the only predictor of HCV-clearance in HCV genotype-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High maternal viral load is the only predictive factor of HCV-VT. IL28B plays no role in HCV-VT, but IL28B CC child polymorphism is associated independently with the spontaneous clearance of HCV genotype-1 among infected children.
authors.affiliation: San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Angeles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Extremera
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Gámez
authors.forename: María Angustias
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Salmerón-Ruiz
authors.forename: Paloma Muñoz
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: de Rueda
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quiles-Pérez
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gila-Medina
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casado
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belén Martín
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sanjuan-Nuñez
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carazo
authors.forename: Esther José
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pavón
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ocete-Hita
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: León
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salmerón
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda