MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION OF A HEPATITIS C VIRUS
VARIANT WITH AN INSERTIONAL MUTATION IN ITS HYPERVARIABLE
REGION
Background/Aims:
We have analyzed the molecular basis of mother-to- child
transmission of hepatitis C virus.
Methods/Results:
Healthy pregnant women were screened for anti-HCV antibody and
babies born to hepatitis C virus carrier mothers were prospectively
investigated, Among the 35 pairs studied, the hepatitis C virus
genome was detectable in only one baby, who did not show any
significant symptoms of hepatitis, The viral load in the blood of
the mother was one of the highest of the 35, and the population of
the hepatitis C virus genome was heterogeneous, Furthermore, she
was found to have a mixed infection with type la and type Ib
hepatitis C virus, However, the hepatitis C virus genome obtained
from the baby was only from type 1b, less heterogeneous and
composed of the clones which were detected in the blood of the
mother. The selected hepatitis C virus had a 12-nucleotide
insertion in the amino-terminus of the E2 hypervariable region of
the genome.
Conclusions:
The incidence of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis C virus
from carrier mothers was shown by this prospective study to be low
The presence of selection pressure during transmission was
suggested. The biological significance of the virus with
12-nucleotide insertion has to be determined.
Author: T MIYAMURA, NATL INST HLTH, DEPT VIROL 2, SHINJUKU
KU, 1-23-1 TOYAMA, TOKYO 162, JAPAN
Source: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY 1996 NOV;25(5):608-613
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