title: Sexual and non-sexual intrafamilial spread of hepatitis C virus: intrafamilial transmission of HCV.
abstract: The rate of intrafamilial transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated in 90 family members of 41 index patients with type C chronic liver disease. Antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) was detected by the EIA method (Abbott-Axsym Sys) and Hepatitis C virus RNA, by the polymerase chain reaction (Nested PCR). We also investigated the presence of anti-HCV in 350 healthy persons (control group). The subjects in the study included 38 spouses, 45 children and others (1 relative and 6 parents). Four family members including 3/38 (7.8%) spouses and 1 sister were found to be positive for anti HCV antibodies but none had HCV RNA. Anti-HCV was not detected in the children of index patients. The prevalence of anti-HCV in the families of index patients was significantly higher than in the controls (4.3% versus 0.85%) (p = 0.0355). We concluded that the intrafamilial transmission of HCV is possible but occurs at a low rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saltoğlu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taşova
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burgut
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Dündar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009679:Nuclear Family; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000145:classification; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral