title: Sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus.
abstract: In order to contribute to a better understanding of the forms of acquisition of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Brazil, with special emphasis on sexual transmission, we determined the presence of HCV infection in regular partners and in non-sexual home communicants of blood donors seen at Fundação Pró-Sangue Hemocentro de São Paulo from January 1992 to July 1996. Of 154 blood donors with HCV infection (index cases), 111 had had regular partners for at least 6 months. Sixty-eight of 111 partners were evaluated for HCV infection. Of these, 8 (11.76%) were considered to have current or previous HCV infection; a history of sexually transmissible diseases and index cases with a positive HCV-RNA test were more prevalent among partners with HCV infection. Of the 68 index cases whose partners were studied, 56 had non-sexual home communicants. Of the total of 81 home communicants, 66 accepted to be evaluated for HCV infection. None of them was HCV-positive, suggesting that the high prevalence of HCV infection among partners may be attributed at least partially to sexual transmission.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, SP, Brasil. tengan@sti.com.br
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Tengan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eluf-Neto
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Cavalheiro
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Barone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*