Molecular evidence of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis G virus among women without known risk factors for parenteral infections.

Hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNA was detected in 18 of 133 pregnant women from Tanzania without known risk factors for HGV infection and in 7 of 18 children born to HGV RNA-positive mothers. Molecular evidence of mother-to-infant transmission was obtained only for three of seven children. HGV RNA was also detected in 4 of 42 children born to non-HGV-infected women. Thus, mechanisms other than materno-filial may play an important role in HGV transmission during early childhood.