Interspousal and intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C virus: a myth or a concern?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate intrafamilial and interspousal transmission of hepatitis C virus.


METHODS
The incidence of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies in 224 family members of 65 index patients was studied. Sixty-five of the 94 index patients were asymptomatic, apparently healthy parturient Egyptian women, who were detected to be anti-hepatitis C virus positive at routine antenatal screening and whose spouses resided in the United Arab Emirates. The serologic status of family members of seropositive index patients was compared with that of 218 family contacts of 65 matched healthy anti-hepatitis C virus-negative parturient Egyptian women (control group). To determine interspousal transmission, hepatitis C virus genotype was determined in 35 of 36 hepatitis C virus-RNA positive index patient-spouse pairs and 22 of 25 nonrelated RNA positive pairs by polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently nucleotide sequencing of the hepatitis C virus genome was done.


RESULTS
In comparison with the control group, a significantly greater number of family members of the index patients were anti-hepatitis C virus positive (five of 218 versus 60 of 224; P < .004). Husbands of index patients had the highest prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (74%), with longer duration of marriage being an important risk factor. Of the 35 index patient-spouse pairs analyzed, 33 (94%) had the same hepatitis C virus genotype. On nucleotide sequencing, 30 (91%) couples showed 100% homology, and two had a high (> 97%) homology. Among nonspouse pairs, six pairs (27%) had the same hepatitis C virus genotype; however, low nucleotide sequence homologies (less than 88%) were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that interspousal transmission of hepatitis C virus occurs and that this may be an important route of intrafamilial spread of hepatitis C virus infection.
Kumar
R M
RM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004534:Egypt; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018454:Spouses; D013997:Time Factors
D004279:DNA, Viral; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies