title: Anti-HCV positivity in sexual partners and offspring of patient with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: We investigated the seroprevalence of HCV in stable sexual partners and offspring of chronic hepatitis C patients, and aimed to determine the risk factors involved. 191 anti-HCV and HCV RNA positive subjects who coinhabited with their spouse and/or offspring were included. Risk factors of index cases for disease transmission, liver biopsy results, anti-HCV and HCV-RNA in spouses and/or offspring were evaluated. Together with index cases, a total of 404 family members including 174 stable sexual partners and 230 offspring were included. The most common risk factors among index cases were dental procedures (73.8%), history of surgery (64.9%), and blood transfusions (24.1%). Anti-HCV positivity was established in 11 (2.7%) of the total 404 family contacts--6 sexual partners and 5 offspring. HCV seropositivity was significantly higher in the spouses of index cases with severe hepatitis C compared to those with mild to moderate hepatitis C (p=0.008), but there was no statistically significant correlation between the severity of liver disease in index cases and anti-HCV positivity in their offspring. In conclusion, anti-HCV seropositivity in the spouses and children of patients who are HCV-RNA positive HCV carriers does not appear to be higher than the HCV seroprevalence in our country.
authors.affiliation: Yunus Emre State Hospital, Clinics of Infectious Diseases, Eskisehir, Turkey. nevilaykin@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nevil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aykin
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cevik
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demirturk
authors.forename: Tuna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demirdal
authors.forename: Semiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orhan
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral