Mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 345; no. 8945; pp. 289 - 291
• Main Authors: Zanetti, A.R., Paccagnini, S., Principi, N., Pizzocolo, G., Caccamo, M.L., Amico, E.D., Cambiè, G., Vecchi, L., the Lombardy Study Group on Vertical HCV Transmission
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 04.02.1995; Lancet; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Health risk assessment; Hepatitis; Hepatitis C; Human viral diseases; Infectious diseases; Medical research; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Italy; Europe; Human; Seropositivity; Transmission; Retroviridae; Hepatic disease; Maternal diseases; Breast feeding; Virus; Infection; Chronic; Newborn; Immunological investigation; Viral disease; Risk factor; Digestive diseases; Lentivirinae; Female; Human immunodeficiency virus; Hepatitis C; Public health
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(95)90277-5

To assess the risk of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV), we followed up 116 babies of anti-HCV positive mothers, of whom 22 were coinfected with HIV and 94 had HCV alone. None of the babies whose mothers had HCV alone acquired HCV, while 8 babies (36%; p<0·001) of mothers co-infected with HIV acquired HCV (5 babies) or HCV and HIV (3). There was no association between any specific maternal HCV genotype and enhanced risk of neonatal infection. HCV-RNA levels were significantly higher (p<0·05) in mothers with HIV coinfection than in those with HCV alone. These data indicate that maternal HIV status correlates with enhanced level of viraemia which favours neonatal infection.