Hepatitis C Co-infection Among Pregnant Women With Syphilis in West Virginia, 2019-2023

Syphilis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) rates have increased among women of childbearing age. Given the potential for vertical transmission of both infections, we examined syphilis and HCV co-infection among pregnant women in West Virginia (2019-2023). Public health surveillance data for syphilis and HCV were cross-referenced to identify co-infections. Of the 161 pregnant women with syphilis, 42.9% had a past or present HCV infection. Compared with those without HCV, a greater proportion of women with past or present HCV self-reported incarceration (21.7% vs 5.4%) and drug use (50.7% vs 15.2%) during the past year. Notably, women with past or present HCV had lower adherence to syphilis treatment (56.5% vs 84.8%) and a higher frequency of reported congenital syphilis outcomes (59.4% vs 28.3%). Findings support the need for integrated care approaches to address overlapping infections and associated social vulnerabilities.