Interspousal transmission of hepatitis C virus.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the sero-prevalence of anti-HCV among the spouses of HCV positive patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, from January 2001 to January 2004.


METHODS
Spouses of patients of hepatitis C were studied. Spouses of patients who had hepatitis C by the presence of anti-HCV and HCV RNA (PCR) were tested for anti-HCV by ELISA method.


RESULTS
A total of 347 consecutive patients were included in the study. Fifty-three patients were single, 48 were widows or divorced and 19 individuals refused to be tested. Thus, 227 patients were available for anti-HCV testing. Out of these 227 spouses tested, 10 (4.4%) were found to be positive for anti-HCV. The mean age of HCV-positive spouses was 44.2 +/- 8.31 years, while that of HCV-negative spouses was 46.37 +/- 11.31 years (p = 0.55). The mean years of marriage of HCV-positive spouses was 20.1 +/- 9.79 years as compared to 21.1 +/- 9.96 years for HCV-negative spouses (p = 0.75). The male proportion of HCV-positive spouses was 60% as compared to 57.6% for HCV-negative spouses (p = 0.9). The patients and spouses had common risk factor of history of injections.


CONCLUSIONS
A positive anti-HCV was found in 4.4% spouses and common risk factors of history of injection and transfusion were noted in the patients and spouses.
Khokhar
Nasir
N
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Shifa International Hospital and Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, Pakistan. drnkhokhar@yahoo.com
Gill
Muzaffar Lateef
ML
Yawar
Ali
A
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D018454:Spouses
D000914:Antibodies, Viral