Trends in Risk Factors for Mother-to-Child Transmission of Hepatitis C Among a Southern European Population

Materials and Methods: This multi-centre epidemiological study (CHU Nice, CHU Toulouse, CHU Montpellier, H Clinic Barcelona, H Mar Barcelona) consists in two parts. Our study does not interfere with the usual management of mother and child as laboratory data (virology, immunology, and liver function) are already included in the medical files. Data collection will be conducted via an anonymous questionnaire by an only one clinical research assistant who will travel to each participating centre. These data are contained in the mother's and child's medical files. The data concerning the socio-demographic characteristics of mother, the characteristics of HIV and HCV infection with special attention for infection risk factors, and the circumstances of the delivery. The questionnaire among children include laboratory results at birth, M6, and M12, as well as assessment of hepatic fibrosis. Data were analysed using SPSS software. Qualitative variables were tested by Chi-square and Fisher's exact test. For quantitative variables, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used (median, 25th and 75th quartile). A p-value inferior than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.