Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - 2010 - Volume 138, Issue 09  

Short Report

Viruses

Declining HCV seroprevalence in pregnant women with HIV

M. FLORIDIAa1 c1, E. TAMBURRINIa2, G. ANZIDEIa3, C. TIBALDIa4, M. L. MUGGIASCAa5, G. GUARALDIa6, M. FISCONa7, A. VIMERCATIa8, P. MARTINELLIa9, A. DONISIa10, S. DALZEROa11, M. RAVIZZAa11 and for the Italian Group on Surveillance on Antiretroviral Treatment in Pregnancy†

a1 Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy

a2 Department of Infectious Diseases, Catholic University, Rome, Italy

a3 I.N.M.I. Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy

a4 University of Turin, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and A.O. OIRM S. Anna, Turin, Italy

a5 University of Milan, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Sacco Hospital, Milan, Italy

a6 Department of Medical Specialities, Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

a7 University of Padova, Department of Paediatrics, Padova, Italy

a8 University of Bari, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Policlinic Hospital, Bari, Italy

a9 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy

a10 Unit of Infectious Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera di Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy

a11 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, S. Paolo Hospital, Milan, Italy

SUMMARY

We assessed recent trends in hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in pregnant women with HIV using data from a large national study. Based on 1240 pregnancies, we observed a 3·4-fold decline in HCV seroprevalence in pregnant women with HIV between 2001 (29·3%) and 2008 (8·6%). This decline was the net result of two components: a progressively declining HCV seroprevalence in non-African women (from 35·7% in 2001 to 16·7% in 2008), sustained by a parallel reduction in history of injecting drug use (IDU) in this population, and a significantly growing presence (from 21·2% in 2001 to 48·6% in 2008) of women of African origin, at very low risk of being HCV-infected [average HCV prevalence 1%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for HCV 0·09, 95% CI 0·03–0·29]. Previous IDU was the stronger determinant of HCV co-infection in pregnant women with HIV (aOR 30·9, 95% CI 18·8–51·1). The observed trend is expected to translate into a reduced number of cases of vertical HCV transmission.

(Accepted December 16 2009)

(Online publication January 25 2010)

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