Intra-hepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND: Aims of this study were to investigate whether hepatitis C virus infection influences the incidence and natural history of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and whether ICP has different characteristics in hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive women from ICP in HCV negative women. METHODS: A prospective study for the prevalence of the HCV infection and for the incidence of ICP was carried out in the 5840 patients admitted to the Prenatal Department of Padua University, Italy, between January 1996 and January 1999. Testing was done for HCV by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA 3), recombinant immuno blot assay (RIBA 3) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The diagnosis of ICP was made on clinical grounds based on the occurence of pruritus with onset during pregnancy, persisting up to the time of delivery and disappearing after delivery, supported by demonstrating an elevation of both serum ALT and total serum bile acids. The Student's t-test, one way anova and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 56 of 5840 patients developed ICP (0.96%). Of these, 12 were also HCV-RNA positive. The rate of ICP was observed more commonly in HCV-RNA positive women than in HCV-RNA negative women (20.33% or 12/59 versus 0.78% or 44/5767, P = 0.001 CONCLUSIONS: Occurrence of ICP during the third trimester should be an indication to investigate the HCV status of the patient. Although the diagnosis of ICP is not confirmed by specific tests, we confirmed a higher risk of HCV infection in this condition. Therefore, occurence of ICP during the third trimester should be an indication to investigate the HCV status of the patient. Broader studies are necessary to assess the impact of infection on the perinatal outcome of ICP.     

丙型庚型肝炎病毒母婴传播研究

目的 研究丙型、庚型肝炎病毒(HCV、HGV)母婴传播及其影响因素。方法 2000年1月至2002年12月应用第三代ELISA法检测HCV—Ab、HGV—Ab，FQ—PCR方法检测HCV—RNA、HGV—RNA。结果 2052例普通孕妇检测抗HCV阳性22例，阳性率1．07％，其中16例HCVRNA阳性母亲所生16例婴儿有3例HCVRNA阳性，母婴传播率为18．75％。318例普通孕妇检测抗HGV阳性8例，阳性率2．52％，其中4例HGVRNA阳性母亲所生4例婴儿1例HGVRNA阳性。结论 阴道分娩过程感染可能是HCV、HGV母婴传播主要途径，孕妇临产时创旧升高是孕妇母婴传播的危险因素。     

Seroprevalence and assessment of risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection in pregnancy

Screening for hepatitis B is routinely performed in most antenatal clinics. Whether the same should occur for hepatitis C needs to be assessed for each population by determining the prevalence of this infection within the community and whether any particular high-risk group can be identified. A series of 2,000 consecutive patients attending for antenatal care at the Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne, was tested for evidence of hepatitis C infection. The prevalence of hepatitis C infection in this group was 1.45% (95% confidence interval 0.97-2.1%). Significant independent risk factors were a history of intravenous drug use, blood transfusion and previous pregnancy ending prior to 20 weeks' gestation. Currently no treatment exists for hepatitis C and as there are no effective means of preventing transmission to the baby, routine screening cannot be justified in view of the low prevalence of this infection among antenatal patients. Selective screening of patients with relevant risk factors for hepatitis C should be carried out as the most efficient and cost-effective strategy in pregnancy.     

Hepatitis C virus infection in pregnancy

Objective To evaluate the clinical aspects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) liver disease in anti-HCV + ve mothers, both during pregnancy and six months after delivery, and to assess the outcome of pregnancy.
Setting Obstetric department for high risk pregnancies of the University of Padova, Italy.
Participants Seventeen hundred consecutive pregnant women were studied.
Methods Each woman underwent the following: 1. serological screening for hepatitis surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV), antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIVI) within the first trimester of pregnancy; and 2. clinico-biochemical assessment in order to ascertain previous or active liver disease and risk factors for viral infections.
Results Twenty-nine (1.7%) of the 1700 women were found anti-HCV positive. Eight of them had an associated positivity for HIV infection. HCV-RNA was positive in 64.2% of anti-HCV positive women. Liver function tests (included transaminases) were within the normal range in 27 mothers (both during and six months after delivery). Only 2/29 women had a slight increase in AST/ALT; liver biopsy in these cases was compatible with mild chronic active hepatitis. In all women the outcome of pregnancy was favourable (12/29 anti-HCV positive mothers underwent caesarean delivery for causes independent from HCV infection).
Conclusions A substantial proportion of anti-HCV positive pregnant mothers, even if asymptomatic, have circulating HCV-RNA. The pregnancy does not induce a deterioration of liver disease, and vice versa, HCV infection does not increase the risk of obstetric complications.     

乙型肝炎病毒父婴垂直传播的危险因素分析

目的 探讨乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)父婴垂直传播的危险因素及HBV DNA载量对HBV父婴垂直传播的影响.方法 选择2007年9月-2008年12月在福建省妇幼保健院行产前初诊检查的161例HBsAg阴性而丈夫HBsAg阳性的孕妇,以HBsAg阳性丈夫及其新生儿作为研究对象.观察指标包括一般情况、HBV携带时间、父亲乙型肝炎一级家族史、HBV标志物、HBV DNA载量、孕妇HBsAb状态、新生儿临床结局.分娩时收集新生儿脐带血进行HBV DNA定量检测,以脐带血HBVDNA载量≥1.0×103 copy/ml为病例组,脐带血HBV DNA＜1.0×103 copy/ml为对照组.结果 (1)HBV父婴垂直传播率:161例父亲HBsAg阳性的新生儿中,有36例脐带血HBV DNA检测呈阳性,即HBV父婴垂直传播率为22.4%(36/161),其中父亲乙型肝炎e抗原(HBeAg)阳性的传播率为32.0%(23/72),父亲HBeAg阴性的传播率为14.6%(13/89).(2)单因素分析结果:父亲HBeAg阳性、父亲HBV DNA阳性、父亲有乙型肝炎一级家族史及父亲HBV携带时间为父婴垂直传播的危险因素,X2值及OR值分别为6.892及2.7、29.916及5.2、29.499及8.3、23.821及1.4,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.01).(3)多因素分析结果:父亲血清HBV DNA阳性及父亲有乙型肝炎一级家族史是HBV父婴垂直传播的危险因素,OR值及95%Cl值分别为11.1及4.6～27.1、17.1及3.5～82.6.(4)父亲血清HBV DNA载量与HBV父婴垂直传播的关系:随着父亲血清HBV DNA载量的升高,新生儿脐带血HBV DNA阳性率也逐渐升高,父亲血清HBV DNA载量＜1.0×104 copy/ml时,新生儿脐带血HBVDNA阳性率为0;载量≥1.0×108 copy/ml时,新生儿阳性率为100%.两者呈剂量反应关系.(5)新生儿临床结局:两组新生儿平均出生体重均为(3.3±0.4)kg.两组新生儿分娩方式、分娩孕周、身长、1分钟Apgar评分、新生儿病理性黄疽及合并其他内外科疾病情况进行比较,差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05),HBV父婴垂直传播与新生儿临床结局无相关性(P＞0.05).结论 父亲血清HBV DNA载量及乙型肝炎一级家族史是HBV父婴垂直传播的危险因素;当父亲HBV DNA载量≥1.0×107 copy/ml时,HBV父婴垂直传播率增加.     

Herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy and transmission to neonatal

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted viral disease. According epidemiological studies almost one quarter of the adult population in Bulgaria is seropositive for HSV-2. High prevalence of infection, asymptomatic course and limited diagnostic resources increased risk of neonatal acquisition of HSV from pregnant women. The etiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods and factors influencing neonatal transmission of HSV are presented.     

Hepatitis B vaccine inhibiting vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus]

A survey of hepatitis B virus infection was carried out among 1,947 pregnant women. The results showed that 215 women were HBsAg positive, a rate of 10.7%. Among the 38 serum samples reexamined, 10 were positive both for HBsAg and HBeAg (26.3%). In order to evaluate the effect of hepatitis B vaccine on inhibiting vertical transmission, all infants of the 38 women positive for HBsAg were given hepatitis B vaccine 40 micrograms. by injection 7 months after the immunization, HBsAg was found absent in 31 of them, but all the infants had produced anti-HBsAg antibody. The positive rate of anti-HBsAg antibody in infants whose mothers had both positive HBsAg and HBeAg was 50%, whereas in infants whose mothers had only positive HBsAg it was 92.9% (chi 2 = 6.38 P less than 0.05).     

Prevention of vertical hepatitis B transmission by hepatitis B immunoglobulin in the third trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible efficacy of using hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) during the third trimester of pregnancy to prevent intrauterine transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS: Of 469 pregnant women testing positive for hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg), 126 had hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and 343 did not. RESULTS: There were women who declined to be treated with HBIG in these 2 groups. Among infants born to HBeAg-positive mothers, the rates of those testing positive for HBsAg at birth and at the 6-month visit were significantly lower when the mothers had been treated with HBIG (P<0.05). Among infants born to HBeAg-negative mothers, however, no significant differences were found whether the mothers had been treated or not. Furthermore, all newborns received HBIG treatment and the first dose of a vaccination schedule within 12 h of birth. At the 6-month visit the protective anti-HBs rates were only 32.3% among infants whose mothers were HBeAg-positive and 56.2% among those whose mothers were HBeAg-negative when their mothers had not been treated with HBIG during pregnancy, whereas the corresponding rates were as high as 75.8% and 88.7% when the mothers had been treated. CONCLUSION: Maternal administration of HBIG is effective in preventing intrauterine fetal HBV infection in HBsAg-positive, HBeAg-positive pregnant women and in improving immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to HBV carriers.     

妊娠合并乙型肝炎病毒感染对妊娠结局的影响

目的：探讨妊娠合并乙肝病毒感染影响妊娠结局的因素。方法：采用回顾性方法分析了1989年1月至1992年12月期间183例妊娠期存在乙肝病毒感染者的妊娠结局。结果：(1)妊娠合并乙肝病毒感染各并发症的发生率：胎膜早破21．31％，早产12．02％，妊高征10．38％，胎儿窘迫12．02％，产后出血3．23％，新生儿窒息10．38％；(2)妊娠合并乙肝病毒感染有肝功能异常组与肝功能正常组相比其早产(28．17％)、妊高征(22．54％)、胎儿窘迫(25．35％)、产后出血(8．45％)发生率均明显增高，新生儿出生体重则明显降低。结论：妊娠合并乙肝病毒感染，易发生胎膜早破、早产、妊高征、胎儿窘迫及产后出血，肝功能异常对这些妊娠并发症的发生有显著影响。应重视该类病例的治疗。     

拉米夫定对乙型肝炎病毒阳性孕妇母婴垂直传播的影响

目的 探讨拉米夫定干预孕期乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)DNA载量变化对HBV母婴垂直传播的影响.方法 40例HBV DNA阳性孕妇采用双盲对照法分为观察组(20例)及对照组(20例),孕28周起至产后1周,观察组每日1次口服拉米夫定(片剂)100 mg,对照组则口服与拉米夫定相同形状的食物片剂(安慰剂)1粒.分别于孕28周和40周时检测两组孕妇血清HBV DNA定量.新生儿出生后按乙型肝炎免疫程序接种重组酵母乙型肝炎疫苗,追踪随访婴儿12个月并检测其血清HBV DNA和HBsAg、HBeAg、抗-HBs定量.结果 (1)孕28周时血清HBV DNA载量:观察组为(3.6±2.5)copy/ml,对照组为(2.9±2.0)copy/ml.两组比较,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).(2)孕40周时血清HBV DNA载量:观察组为(1.8±1.1)copy/ml,对照组为(3.6±1.8)copy/ml.两组比较,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).观察组孕28周与40周(即用药前后)比较,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01);对照组孕28周与40周比较,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).(3)两组孕妇共分娩41例新生儿,其中观察组20例,对照组21例.随访婴儿12个月结束时,有2例失访(5%,2/41).39例婴儿中感染HBV 4例(10%,4/39),其中观察组2例(10%,2/20),对照组2例(11%,2/19)(P＞0.05).(4)4例感染HBV婴儿的母亲在孕28、40周时,血清HBV DNA定量分别为(3.1±3.4)、(3.1±3.2)copy/ml,未感染HBV婴儿的母亲在孕28、40周时分别为(3.4±2.2)、(2.6±1.5)copy/ml.(5)观察组抗-HBs平均为(594±416)U/L,对照组平均为(458±398)U/L,两组比较,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 在孕期给予拉米夫定进行干预,孕妇血清HBV DNA载量可明显下降,但拉米夫定并没有降低乙型肝炎感染例数.     

Obstetric risks of pregnancy in women less than 18 years old

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the age-related risks of adverse outcome during pregnancy in women less than 18 years old. METHODS: We analyzed data from 341,708 completed singleton pregnancies in the North West Thames region between 1988 and 1997. Pregnancy outcomes were compared by age at delivery in women less than 18 years old (n = 5246) and 18-34 years old (n = 336,462); women 35 years old or older (n = 48,658) were excluded. Data are presented as percentages of women less than 18 and 18-34-year-old women, with adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 99% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Pregnancy in women less than 18 years old was associated with increased risk of preterm labor before 32 weeks' gestation (OR 1.41, CI 1.02, 1.90), maternal anemia (OR 1.82, CI 1.63, 2.03), chest infection (OR 2.70, CI 1.21, 6.70), and urinary tract infection (OR 1.60, CI 1.11, 2.31), but less obstetric intervention. Operative vaginal delivery (OR 0. 46, CI 0.41, 0.56), elective cesarean (OR 0.47, CI 0.35, 0.65), or emergency cesarean (OR 0.45, CI 0.38, 0.53) were all less likely in women aged less than 18 years. Women less than 18 years old were no more likely to have stillbirths (OR 0.75, CI 0.42, 1.34) or small-for-gestational-age infants (OR 0.95, CI 0.82, 1.09) than women aged 18-34 years. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women less than 18 years old were more likely to deliver preterm than older women. In most other respects they have less maternal and perinatal morbidity and were more likely to have normal vaginal deliveries.     

妊娠合并乙型肝炎病毒感染孕妇胎儿窘迫发病原因分析

目的：探讨妊娠合并乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染孕妇胎儿窘迫的病因、预后及治疗方法。方法：对81例妊娠期HBV表面抗原（HBsAg）、HBVe抗原（HBeAg)、HBV核心抗体（HBcAb)和HBV DNA均阳性,肝功能正常的孕妇及其新生儿（研究组）,85例无肝炎病毒感染,肝功能正常的孕妇及新生儿（对照组）的临床资料、血清学检查结果、胎盘病理检查结果和胎儿预后进行分析,并对研究组中76例婴儿在出生后0、1、6月龄时分别注射酵母菌重组乙型肝炎疫苗10μg,24月龄时检测婴儿HBV表面抗体（HBsAb),以评价母婴HBV阻断效果。结果：（1）研究组胎儿窘迫的发生率为38．3％,对照组为16．5％,两组比较差异有显著性（P＜0．05）。（2）HBV感染胎盘可导致绒毛膜血管病。（3胎儿窘迫者,24月龄时母婴阻断率为78．6％,无胎儿窘迫者母婴HBV阻断率为91．7％,两 者比较,差异有显著性（P＜0．05）。结论：妊娠合并HBV感染,可引起胎盘绒毛膜血管病,致使胎盘功能下降,临床表现为胎儿窘迫、进而导致HBV母婴阻断失败。     

Obstetric management does not influence vertical transmission of HCV infection: results of the ALHICE group study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the impact of variation in obstetric practice during labor and childbirth upon the rate of neonatal transmission of HCV.

Methods: Pregnant mothers were included in this prospective study from six hospitals in Southern France on the basis of positive HCV serology. Data recorded for the study included maternal factors, delivery details and laboratory data concerning mother and child. Pediatric follow-up was documented for a minimum of 1 year and for up to 2 years for children with circulating HCV RNA.

Results: Two hundred and fourteen mother-child pairs were investigated. HIV/HCV co-infected mothers had a rate of HCV transmission significantly higher (11%) than that observed for mono-infected mothers (3.8%) (odds ratio?=?3.08 [95% CI:0.95 to 9.99] p?=?0.05). When the HCV viral load was greater than or equal to 6 log copies/ml, the transmission rate was 14.3% [95% CI:5.4–28.5], this representing a risk of transmission four times higher than for women with a lower viral load (OR?=?4 [95% CI:1.3–12.4]). Among co-infected mothers, the risk of transmission was significantly increased even when the load was less than 6 log copies/ml (p?=?0.006). Risk factors were identified related to labor (duration and induction type); the birth process (rupture of the amniotic sac, complete opening of the sac, appearance of the amniotic fluid); fetal characteristics (prematurity) and obstetric maneuvers (instrumental extractions, spontaneous or induced perineal trauma) and none of these factors were associated with an increased rate of HCV maternal-fetal transmission.

Conclusions: HCV infection does not appear to be a legitimate indication for modifying obstetric practices with regards to type of induction, monitoring of labor, route of delivery, fetal and perineal obstetric maneuvers or care of the newborn in the delivery room.