Low risk of vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus by breast milk

To evaluate the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission via breast mil k, we collected 76 samples of breast milk from 73 chronically HCV-infected women and serum samples from their 76 perinatally HCV-exposed children. Enz yme immunoassay and strip immunoblot assay were used for detection of antib odies to HCV, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis was used for detection of HCV RNA. None of the 76 samples of breast milk co ntained HCV RNA, whereas 37 (59.7%) of 62 mothers tested for HCV RNA had HC V viremia, Only 1 of the 76 breast-fed infants had evidence of HCV infectio n. Because HCV infection in this child was detected 1 month after birth, it seems unlikely that it was transmitted by breast-feeding, These results in dicate that HCV infection in pregnant women should not be a contra-indicati on for breast-feeding.