Intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C virus in Japan.
To study the intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV), 36 family members of 16 patients with anti-HCV (anti-C100-3)-positive chronic liver disease were screened for anti-HCV by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clusters of anti-HCV-positive individuals were observed in 2 of 16 families (12.5%). Four of 35 family members (11.4%) with no history of blood transfusion were positive for anti-HCV. Two of 17 offspring (11.8%) of anti-HCV-positive females were positive for anti-HCV, while 1 of 5 spouses (20.0%) was positive for anti-HCV. These data suggest that intrafamilial transmission is one of the possible routes of infection for HCV.
Michitaka
K
K
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
Onji
M
M
Horiike
N
N
Kajino
K
K
Saito
I
I
Miyamura
T
T
Ohta
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies