Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV RNA) in amniotic fluid: a prospective study
Section snippets
Patients
Thirty-three pregnant women were enrolled from June 1996 to August 1998. Twenty-two of these women were HCV seropositive and 11 were HCV seronegative (control group). The HCV-positive patients ranged from 25 to 42 years (median: 39 years). Thirteen patients had a posterior placenta and seven had an anterior placenta. The position of the placenta was not determined in the remaining two cases. An amniocentesis was performed in the early second trimester of pregnancy to detect karyotype
Detection and quantification of HCV RNA in maternal serum
HCV RNA was detected in 16 HCV-antibody-positive patients. Serum genomic titers, measured by Quantiplex HCV RNA technique were 0.3 to 15.1×106 Eq/ml (median: 2.5×106 Eq/ml). No HCV RNA was found in six of the HCV-seropositive women.
Detection and quantification of HCV RNA in amniotic fluid
All of the 33 amniotic fluids studied had a clear aspect. HCV RNA was detected in the amniotic fluid of one of the 16 viremic patients. HCV RNA titer in the amniotic fluid measured by the Monitor technique was 230 copies HCV RNA/ml. The serum genomic titer was 1.1×106
Discussion
The vertical transmission risk of HCV from mother to infant has been well documented 12., 13., 14., 15. but the mode of transmission is unknown. Virologic and obstetrical factors could influence transmission, but their relative contributions are difficult to assess. Two viral factors seem to influence the maternal-fetal transmission, and these are serum HCV RNA titer and HIV coinfection. Several studies have shown that the risk of transmission is correlated with the HCV RNA titers in the mother
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Brigitte Méraud for her excellent technical assistance.
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2021, Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious DiseasesCitation Excerpt :According to Courgnaud et al. [3] and Jaspan et al. [4], amniotic fluid contains relatively higher levels of lentivirus-specific antibodies, such as those of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), than plasma and may also contain neutralizing antibodies. Some viral strains have been detected in human amniotic fluid, such as Zika virus [5], HIV [6], and hepatitis C virus (HCV) [7]. Thus, as it is in direct contact with the fetus, amniotic fluid has become the subject of studies seeking to elucidate its potential to contaminate the fetus.
Prenatal diagnostic testing
2019, Perinatal GeneticsHepatitis C Virus
2018, Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious DiseasesNo. 96-The Reproductive Care of Women Living With Hepatitis C Infection
2017, Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology CanadaCitation Excerpt :Indications for diagnostic ultrasound evaluation will not differ from that of the general pregnant population, as no association between HCV and fetal dysmorphism has been made. There is no data regarding procedures such as amniocentesis, fetal blood sampling, or chorionic villous biopsy, and the risk of vertical transmission.123 It is the view of the panel that women with undetectable HCV RNA by qualitative PCR may not carry an increased risk of vertical transmission following these procedures.
No. 96 - The reproductive care of women living with hepatitis C infection
2017, Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada