title: Molecular evidence of horizontal transmission of hepatitis C virus within couples.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission has decreased with the adoption of universal blood donor screening and social policies to reduce the risk of infection in intravenous drug users, but remains a worldwide health problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships among sequences from different HCV genomic regions from sexual partners of infected patients. Nine couples with a stable relationship and without other risk factors for HCV infection and 42 control patients were selected, and the NS3 and NS5B regions were analysed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that viruses from five of the couples had a common origin, clustering in the same monophyletic group, with bootstrap values greater than 70. For the other couples, monophyletic groups were observed, but without bootstrap support. Thus, using two different viral genome regions, a common source of infection was observed in both members of five couples. These data strongly support HCV transmission within couples.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunologia Viral, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. imvgcmello@butantan.gov.br
authors.forename: Isabel Maria Vicente Guedes
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: de Carvalho-Mello
authors.forename: José Eymard Medeiros
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.forename: Michele Soares
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gomes-Gouvêa
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Mello Malta
authors.forename: Artur Trancoso Lopo
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: de Queiróz
authors.forename: João Renato Rebello
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: Flair José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Carrilho
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005191:Family Characteristics; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase