• R M Kumar, P M Frossad, and P F Hughes.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
• Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol. 1997 Dec 1; 75 (2): 177-82.

ObjectivesIn this study, we sought to determine (1) the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, or its antibodies, in a healthy parturient Egyptian population and (2) the risk of mother-to-infant transmission in this population.MethodThe serum of 499 pregnant Egyptian women was tested for anti-HCV with ELISA-3 and for HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Neonatal cord blood and infant blood were similarly tested for anti-HCV and HCV RNA.ResultsRecombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) detected anti-HCV in 65/499 (13%) women; of these, 20/65 (31%) were PCR-positive. The total number of babies born was 499. Of the original group, 97 mothers and infants (HCV-negative) were lost to follow up and were excluded. Sixty-five anti-HCV-positive infants were born vaginally to the 65 anti-HCV-positive mothers, of which twenty (31%) corresponding mothers and babies were also positive for HCV RNA. Of these twenty babies, three died of hepatocellular disease by six months of age; sixteen developed chronic liver disease; the remaining nine remained asymptomatic but were serologically and PCR-positive. The mother-to-infant transmission rate was significantly increased (5%; P < 0.0001). Of the seropositive children, 45/65 (69%; P < 0.0001) seroreverted by eighteen months of age.ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of anti-HCV in healthy pregnant Egyptian women and vertical transmission is a major risk for chronic HCV carriers.

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