Preliminary investigation on intrafamilial spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV).
To determine the risk of cohabitant HCV infection, we investigated the sera of 101 family members of 53 anti-HCV antibody positive chronic liver disease patients. Altogether 14.8% of the cohabitants were also anti-HCV antibody positive, compared to a prevalence of 1.4% in the general population. These results suggest that hepatitis-C-virus may spread by person-to-person infection.
Mughini
M T
MT
Institute of Infectious Disease, University of Catania, Italy.
Cacopardo
B
B
Fatuzzo
F
F
Celesia
B M
BM
La Rosa
R
R
Bruno
S
S
Oddo
E
E
Tosto
S
S
Cosentino
S
S
Nigro
L
L
D002908:Chronic Disease; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005192:Family Health; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies