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Maurizio de Martino, Chiara Azzari, Massimo Resti, Maria Moriondo, Maria Elisabetta Rossi, Luisa Galli, Alberto Vierucci, Hepatitis G Virus Infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Mothers and Their Children, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 178, Issue 3, September 1998, Pages 862–865, https://doi.org/10.1086/515344
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Abstract
Hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNA and anti-E2 glycoprotein antibody (E2Ab) seroprevalence was studied in 58 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected mothers (34 injecting drug users [IDUs] and 24 with risky sexual behavior [RSB]) and their children (median age, 5 days; range, 1–27). Twelve women (20.6%) were RNA- and 20 (34.4%) E2Ab-positive. Seroprevalence was similar in the IDU and RSB groups and high in RSB partners of IDU men. Five (41.6%) children of RNA-positive mothers were HGV-infected, at a median age of 5 days (range, 1–27), independent of maternal CD4 T lymphocyte numbers, mode of delivery, and HIV-1 transmission; no other child at risk became RNA-positive subsequently. No HGV-infected child (follow-up, 16 months; range, 12–52) showed increased liver enzyme levels; 3 children cleared RNA and E2Ab-seroconverted after 10–48 months. Thus, in HIV-1-infected women, HGV infection is common and also sexually transmitted, and clearance may be impaired. Mother-to-child transmission is frequent and occurs antenatally; children remain long infected without evident disease.