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Mother to infant transmission of hepatitis C virus infection
R Wejstål1, S Hermodsson, S Iwarson
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Ostra Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in pregnant women can lead to antibody transfer to newborns. One infant showed signs of active HCV infection, suggesting mother-to-infant transmission.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection during pregnancy presents unique challenges for both mother and child.
- Understanding the potential for vertical transmission is crucial for managing infant health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the serological and clinical outcomes of infants born to mothers with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
- To assess the incidence and characteristics of potential mother-to-infant transmission of HCV.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal follow-up of 11 infants born to 8 women with chronic HCV.
- Monitoring of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and anti-HCV antibody status in infants.
- Clinical assessment and liver biopsy in one case with persistent positivity.
Main Results:
- All infants initially tested positive for passively acquired anti-HCV antibodies, which typically became negative by 7 months.
- Five infants had transiently elevated ALT levels; two showed elevations in multiple samples.
- One infant developed sustained anti-HCV positivity and liver disease, indicating active infection and potential mother-to-infant transmission.
Conclusions:
- Passively acquired HCV antibodies are common in newborns of infected mothers.
- While most infants clear maternal antibodies, active HCV infection with associated liver disease can occur in a subset of infants.
- This suggests a possibility of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus infection.
Abstract:
Eight women with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection during pregnancy gave birth to 11 children. Five of these children had elevated ALT, but only two had increased levels in more than one sample. All children tested before 6 months of age were positive for anti-HCV at most up to 7 months of age and then became negative. One child with a maximum ALT level of 8.4 mukat/l however, regained anti-HCV positivity at 12 months of age, and a liver biopsy at 21 months of age showed resolving hepatitis. Passively acquired HCV antibodies are obviously found in newborns of anti-HCV-positive mothers with chronic hepatitis. In 1 of 11 children, active anti-HCV production and concomitant liver disease suggested mother to infant transmission of hepatitis C virus infection.