My Daughter

My wife was diagnosed with hep c about 2 years ago. We had a child May 09. The doctors tested her 8 months ago for hep c and with held the results until 3 days ago. They said the test was inconclusive,but it showed antibodies for hep c. Does this mean she has the virus? Do you think she contracted it from my wife while she was pregnant? If she does have the antibodies does thatmeanshe has the virus and is in trouble due to the liver problem? Last question, If she only has antibodies, does this mean that the virus could progress or go into remission? Thank you so much for your time and i look forwards to hearing back from someone.

[Bill1954]

I’m in a hurry but will check back later. If she had an inconclusive antibody or HCV RIBA result, ask for a ‘HCV RNA by PCR’; this tests directly for virus, rather than presence of antibody and is very specific and conclusive for infection; inconclusive results are extremely rare with this test.

Good luck to you and your family—

Bill

[Diane12855]

Bill gave you good advice. For peace of mind you need to find out if she has any virus in her blood.

I know babies have their mother's antibodies for a while after birth, especially if they are breast fed, so that could be where they came from. Antibodies are what the body makes in response to the virus, they aren't the virus.

Diane

[Trinity4]

Any child (under 18 months old) born to a mother who is infected with hepatitis C may be antibody positive i.e. they will test positive for antibodies against hepatitis C and, to the inexperienced, may appear to be infected. However, the presence of antibodies against Hepatitis C in a young child does not necessarily mean that the child will be infected in the long term. This is because babies are born with maternal antibodies which they gradually lose as their immune system develops over the first 12 to 18 months of life. Hence positive antibody tests in children born to infected mothers are an indication that the mother is infected rather than the child.

To detect infection in young children born to infected mothers, a PCR test should be performed to look for the virus directly. Unfortunately, in  young children this very sensitive test can be unreliable and false results do occur, particularly in young children where the amount of virus may be very low. Most experts agree that to identify young children with Hepatitis C, at least two PCR tests should be performed in the first year and an HCV antibody test should be performed when the child is 18 months old. If all the tests are negative then the child is definitely not infected but if the baby is repeatedly PCR positive with antibodies that persist during the second year of life then the child is infected with Hepatitis C.

[carol411]

I believe the virus passing from mother to child happens at birth, if it happens.  There is a less than 5% chance of that.  As Bill said, the only way to know for sure is to get the 'HCV RNA by PCR'.  That will tell you if your daughter has the virus.  I'm hoping that you receive good news.  But no matter which way the test goes, this is a good place to educate yourself about this disease.  There are mothers here who have faced your situation and I'm hoping one will chime in soon.

Carol

[nygirl7]

This is because babies are born with maternal antibodies which they gradually lose as their immune system develops over the first 12 to 18 months of life."

I wouldn't really be very concerned about it until the 12 - 18 month period. At this young an age there would really be nothing that need to be done right now anyway. Enjoy your baby and then in a year get her tested....I bet if most of us mom's had had our babies tested (most of us had no idea we had the disease) when they were newborn they would have come up positive too.

That said if you can't wait you could do the PCR but.....I'm hoping and believing that she is just fine.

Best of luck to you all.