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Pediatr Infect Dis J 2001;20:10-14.
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Date Posted: Sat, March 03 2001, 15:45:53 PST
HCV Viremia at Delivery a Risk Factor for Mother-to-Infant
Transmission ---------------------------------------------------------------
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WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Feb 21 - The risk of mother-to-infant
transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with the presence
of maternal HCV viremia at delivery and a high maternal viral load,
according to a report in the January issue of the Pediatric Infectious
Disease Journal.
Dr. Hitoshi Tajiri, of Osaka University, Japan, and colleagues conducted a
prospective study to determine the incidence of HCV infection in infants
born to anti-HCV antibody-positive mothers and "to elucidate associated risk
factors for transmission." They enrolled 141 mothers and followed 147
neonates for a mean of 18.5 months for serum alanine aminotransferase
activity, anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA.
The researchers note that 33 infants were excluded from the study because
they were followed for fewer than 6 months or were not tested adequately.
"Of the 114 infants finally evaluated 9 (7.8%) had detectable HCV RNA," they
say.
According to the report, the rate of transmission was not influenced by the
mode of delivery or the type of feeding. Eight of 90 (8.8%) infants born by
vaginal delivery and 1 of 24 (4.2%) infants born by cesarean section were
infected. In addition, 9 of 98 (9.2%) infants who were breast fed and 0 of
16 infants who were formula fed were infected. For both factors, the
differences between groups were not statistically significant.
The investigators note that "all infected infants were born to mothers who
had HCV viremia at the delivery and to those with a high viral load."
"If preventive measures are available, such as oral antiviral drugs for
HCV-infected pregnant women, then infant-mother pairs at high risk,
including high maternal viral load, might be candidates for drug therapy,"
Dr. Tajiri and colleagues conclude.
Pediatr Infect Dis J 2001;20:10-14.
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