Reduced Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Associated with Infant but not Maternal GB Virus C Infection

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 197; no. 10; pp. 1369 - 1377
• Main Authors: Supapol, Wendy Bhanich, Remis, Robert S., Raboud, Janet, Millson, Margaret, Tappero, Jordan, Kaul, Rupert, Kulkarni, Prasad, McConnell, Michelle S., Mock, Philip A., Culnane, Mary, McNicholl, Janet, Roongpisuthipong, Anuvat, Chotpitayasunondh, Tawee, Shaffer, Nathan, Butera, Salvatore
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The University of Chicago Press 15.05.2008; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Viral - blood; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Child; Disease transmission; Female; Flaviviridae Infections - transmission; Flaviviridae Infections - virology; GB virus; GB virus C; GB virus C - classification; GB virus C - genetics; GB virus C - isolation & purification; Genotype; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - transmission; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - virology; HIV; HIV - isolation & purification; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - transmission; HIV Infections - virology; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infections; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Mothers; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Prevalence; RNA; RNA, Viral - blood; Thailand; Viral Load; Viruses; Women; Thailand
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/587488

Background. Prolonged coinfection with GB virus C (GBV-C) has been associated with improved survival in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults. Weinvestigated whether maternal or infant GBV-C infection was associated with mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 infection. Methods. The study population included 1364 HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in 3 studies of MTCT of HIV in Bangkok, Thailand (the studies were conducted from 1992–1994, 1996–1997, and 1999–2004, respectively). We tested plasma collected from pregnant women at delivery for GBV-C RNA, GBV-C antibody, and GBV-C viral genotype. If GBV-CRNAwas detected in the maternal samples, the 4- or 6-month infant sample was tested for GBV-C RNA. The rates of MTCT of HIV among GBV-C-infected women and infants were compared with the rates among women and infants without GBV-C infection. Results. The prevalence of GBV-C RNA in maternal samples was 19%. Of 245 women who were GBV-C RNA positive, 101 (41%) transmitted GBV-C to their infants. Of 101 infants who were GBV-C RNA positive, 2 (2%) were infected with HIV, compared with 162 (13%) of 1232 infants who were GBV-C RNA negative (odds ratio [OR] adjusted for study, 0.13 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.03–0.54]). This association remained after adjustment for maternal HIV viral load, receipt of antiretroviral prophylaxis, CD4+ count, and other covariates. MTCT of HIV was not associated with the presence of GBV-C RNA (adjusted OR [aOR], 0.94 [95% CI, 0.62–1.42]) or GBV-C antibody (aOR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.54 –1.50]) in maternal samples. Conclusions. Reduced MTCT of HIV was significantly associated with infant acquisition of GBV-C but not with maternal GBV-C infection. The mechanism for this association remains unknown.