woman and hiv | Risk factor of HCV in pregnant women

hepatitis c virus: INTRODUCTION WHO data of 2004 estimates that about 170 million people, 3% of world’s population , are infected with HCV. 1 DEFINITION Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single standard enveloped positive stand RNA virus belonging to the flaviviridae pestivirus family, and is associated with significant in morbidity and mortality. 2 HCV was first identified in the USA in 1989 as a major causative agent of post transfusion non A, non B hepatitis the prevalence of union hepatitis C in the ASIA- pacific region is variable between 4% to 12%. Risk factors are HCV infection blood products, injection, intranasal drugs, razor blade/tooth brushes body/ ear piercing, tattooing occupational exposure, and sexual activity. Fetal scalp sampling and electrode avoidance to prevent vertical transmission is developing countries like Pakistan excessive holding of contaminated blood, from unsafe practices, includes administration of unnecessary injections one also responsible for the spread of hepatitis infection care less handling of diagnostic equipment in the diagnostic laboratories due to lack of gloves, gowns and mask, to protect them from the contaminated blood, leads to increased prevalence of hepatitis infection in the health works similarly dialysis staff, staff working in angiography labs, medical ICU’S surgeons and paramedics staff and risk of getting the infection. 3 About 4000,000 in the united stated are infected with HCV, 3-4 million people are newly infected each year, and over 2.7 million have ongoing chronic infection.4 HCV Sero Prevalence in Pakistan ranging from 0.7% to 20%. Perinatal transmission from mother to fetus or infant is relatively possible less then 10% the prevalence of HCV in general population ranges from 4-25.-7%. Viral hepatitis during pregnancy is associated with higher risk of maternal complications, has a high rate of maternal complication causing fetal and neonatal hepatitis and it has been reported as a leading cause of maternal motility. But in babies who are infected at birth the life time risk of server liver disease is likely high. 5 Mother to infant transmission of hepatitis C virus is comparatively uncommon. Prevalence of antibody to HCV in pregnant women is 0.1% to 2.4% although in some endemic areas it is much higher. The rate of mother to infant transmission is 4% to 7% per pregnancy women with HCV viremia. Breast feeding poses no important risk of HCV transmission if nipple not traumatized6. Hepatitis C can be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy through the exchange of blood in the placenta, but also during delivery due to close contact between the blood of mother and baby, as well as from other secretions7. There is no reliable evidence to quantity and risk of transmission through barest feeding and this generally assumed to be very low, if it occurs at all vertical transmission may be reduced by delivery via caseran section before the rupture of membrane concluded that caseran section does not reduce the risk of vertical transmission. 7 It may be transmitted sexually, but transmission is not very efficient, with only 1.2 percent of long terms partners becoming infected8. House hold transmission e.g. via razor or tooth brushes, and occur but is considered rare. 9 Anti HCV screening of blood products introduced during the early 1990 has minimized this mode of HCV a acquisition leaving vertical transmission from infected mothers as the predominant mode of infection.10 The study was conducted in Liaquat university of medical and health sciences (LUMHS) primary object of my study was to determine the prevalence of HCV infection in pregnant women