Aim To estimate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) vertical transmission
rate, the effect of potential risk factors, and the pattern
of HCV antibody response and viremia in HCV-infected
infants in Benha, Egypt.
Methods A total of 1224 pregnant women who were
treated at Benha University Hospital, Egypt, were included
in the study. They completed a questionnaire about risk
factors for HCV acquisition and suspected risk factors for
mother-to-infant transmission and were tested for HCV antibody
using a third-generation ELISA test. Women positive
for HCV antibody were tested for HCV RNA by polymerase
chain reaction. Peripheral blood of infants of positive HCVRNA
women was tested for HCV antibody and HCV-RNA at
1 and after 6 months of age.
Results Out of 1224 pregnant women, 105 (8.6%; 95%
confidence interval, 7.05-10.17) were positive for HCV antibody.
Only 83 (6.8%; 5.39-7.21) were positive for HCV-RNA.
HCV infection was associated with older age (1.16; 1.1-1.2,
P = 0.001), blood transfusion (2.69; 1.2-6.0, P = 0.016), and
HCV infection of the husband (5.47; 1.4-21, P = 0.014) or
other household members (2.29; 1.2-4.6, P = 0.019). Out of
53 infants tested at first month, 43 (81%; 71-92%) were positive
for HCV antibody, but only 7 (13%; 4.1-22%) were positive
for HCV-RNA. After 6 months, only 2 (3.8%; 0-8.95%)
remained positive for HCV RNA.
Conclusions The prevalence of HCV in pregnant women
in Egypt is lower than previously reported and the potential
risk factors associated with HCV infection suggest intra-
familial transmission. The frequency of vertical transmission
of HCV in Egypt is not substantially different from
other countries and does not play a role in the high prevalence
of HCV in Egypt. |
