title: Vaginal shedding of hepatitis C virus.
abstract: A group of 14 women infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) was evaluated for vaginal shedding of the virus. The HCV-RNA detection was performed in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and in supernatant and pellet of vaginal washings. HCV-RNA positive results were obtained in all plasma samples, in 57% of the PBMC samples, in 36% pellets obtained following centrifugation of vaginal washings and in 36% of the supernatants. In 21% of the women a positive result was found, at the same time, in every analysed product. The HCV genotypes identified in the plasma samples (1a: 38%; 1b: 36%; 3a: 13% and 1b+3a: 14%) matched with those in PBMC and vaginal washings in every sample, with the exception of cases where mixed infection (1b+3a) was detected. In these, genotype 1b was only detected in plasma. HCV viral load was not associated with the presence of HCV-RNA in PBMC or in vaginal washings (either cells or supernatant).
authors.affiliation: Departamento Microbiologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, UNL, Lisboa, Portugal. geral.mic@fcm.unl.pt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gameiro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Venneno
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carnall
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Canas-Ferreira
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Exposto
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014621:Vagina / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral