I received the CDC report on Pediatric Hepatitis C.  If any one is
interested in receiving a copy, e-mail me privately.
I am attaching an excerpt from an article written by Dusheiko, Khakoo,
Soni, and Grellier of the University Department of Medicine, Royal Free
Hospital School of Medicine in London. They raise some interesting
questions.  Clearly, a push is needed for more research in breastfeeding
aspects of clinical conditions.

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Kimberly Elms
Arizona State University
[log in to unmask]
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A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was,
the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove...
But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a
child.




ÐÏࡱáýÿÿÿ4@Ô

nt transmission of hepatitis C virus has been recorded but seems to be unusual. Differences in the rate of maternal-infant transmission between different countries remain unexplained, and the importance of this route in perpetuating the reservoir of human infection is unknown, though it could be relevant. Maternal-infant transmission is more likely in mothers with hepatitis C virus RNA concentrations higher than 10 to power 7 genomes per ml. Though patients should be informed of the fairly low risk of transmission, it should be explained to those wanting children that perinatal transmission cannot categorically be excluded. The risk may be determined by the level of viraemia, but other factors could be involved. Couples can make an informed decision in the light of the available data and subsequent litigation therefore avoided. Though hepatitis C virus RNA has been found in breast milk, infection of infants by breast feeding has not been reported. Persistent hepatitis C vir!
 us RNA has been found in the absence of hepatitis C antibody in newborn babies of antibody positive women, suggesting the possibility of seronegative hepatitis C virus infection.[x-xii] This observation requires careful validation.  
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