High rate of maternal-infant transmission of hepatitis G virus in HIV-1 and hepatitis C virus-infected women

The prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection was investigated in 56 mothers with both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-I) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Thirty-three (58.8%) women had markers of HGV inf ection, including 7/15 (46.6%) with no history of parenteral exposure to bl ood. Sixteen (48%) had HGV RNA in serum by a polymerase chain reaction assa y and 17 (52%) had antibody to E2, viral protein. No woman was positive for both markers. Of 20 infants born to the 16 mothers with HGV viremia, 9 (45 %, 95% CI 34-58%) acquired the infection. No infected child seroconverted t o HGV during the first year of life. At the latest visit (mean: 37.1 mo, ra nge: 9-89 mo)7 children were still seronegative HGV RNA carriers, was both RNA- and antibody-negative, while 1 RNA-negative child had developed the E2 antibody. Of the 20 HGV-exposed infants, 2 contracted HCV and 1 HIV-I (all 3 with HGV coinfection). No abnormalities in clinical findings and ALT lev els were observed throughout the follow-up period in the six children with HGV infection alone. Our findings show that HGV infection is widespread amo ng HIV-1- and HCV-infected women. Maternal-infant transmission of HGV is co mmon and occurs independently from that of HIV-I and HCV in women with trip le infection. Most perinatally HGV-infected children develop persistent inf ection with no clinical or biological signs of liver damage, at least in th e first years of life.