Materno-Fetal transmission of hepatitis-C virus

ABSTRACT

Materno- fetal transmisson of hepatitis [C] virus [HCV] is still controversial. To verify this hypothesis. 100 pregnant women were screened for anti - HCV using ELA second generation. Ten out of 13 anti - HCV seropsitive pregnant women and their infants were investigated for hepatitis [C] virus using polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. nine months of follow up for the infants was done using PCR ELA and transaminases estimation at birth and every 3 months onwards. HCV- RNA was found in 5 infants delivered by women who were HCV- RNA seropositive and persisted for 3-9 months of follow up either continuously or intermittently. Anti - HCV was detected in 5 infants, one of them was HCV-RNA negative by PCR Serum transaminases [ALT/AST] were raised in 3 HCV- RNA seropositive infants. The mothers of anti- HCV seropositive infants were either diabetic. bilharzial or HBsAg positive. All these findings provide good evidence of matrerno - fetal transmission of HCV and indicate that infants born to anti - HCV seropositive mothers more liable to HCV infection. particularly in presence of risk factor as diabetes mellitus, and HCV infection and suggest that perinatal infection may initiate a silent disease process of chronic carrier state