Mother to infant transmission of coinfection by human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus: prevalence and clinical manifestations

• Published in: Archives of virology Vol. 142; no. 3; pp. 453 - 457
• Main Authors: Nigro, G, D'Orio, F, Catania, S, Badolato, M C, Livadiotti, S, Bernardi, S, D'Argenio, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Austria Springer Nature B.V 01.01.1997
• Subjects: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - epidemiology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - physiopathology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - transmission; AIDS/HIV; Child; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis; Hepatitis C - complications; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - physiopathology; Hepatitis C - transmission; Hepatitis C virus; HIV; HIV-1; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Infant; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Liver diseases; Male; Prevalence; Prospective Studies
• ISSN: 0304-8608; 1432-8798
• DOI: 10.1007/s007050050091

The prevalence and the clinical course of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections were studied in 23 HIV-1-infected children, who were born to 22 mothers with HIV-1/HCV coinfection. During the follow-up only two children (8.7%) showed persistent anti-HCV antibodies and circulating HCV RNA. Both children, who were aged 10 and 10.6 years respectively at the end of follow-up, had chronically-evolving liver disease and autoimmune thrombocytopenia but no signs of progressive HIV disease. Based on our experience, vertically-acquired HIV-1/HCV coinfection is less frequent than is generally reported and may be associated with the development of chronic thrombocytopenia in addition to liver disease. Moreover, perinatal HIV-1/HCV coinfection appears to be associated with a slow progression of HIV disease.