title: Intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C infection in Egyptian multitransfused thalassemia patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Detecting the current prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Egyptian multitransfused thalassemic patients and evaluating the risk of its transmission within their family members.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multitransfused Egyptian thalassemia patients (n = 137) were tested for HCV infection. Household contacts of positive members were compared with household contacts of HCV-negative patients. Antibodies to HCV were detected by enzyme immunoassay. Antibody-positive cases were retested for viral load using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. HCV genotyping was performed on positive samples of the patients and the positive household contacts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 34.4% of patients (n = 47) were positive for HCV antibodies and RNA. The study of 24 families of HCV-positive patients showed 14 affected family members (19.2%). In 27 families of HCV-negative patients, four family members were affected (4.9%). HCV genotyping of seven families was similar in both patients and their family members.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the role of intrafamilial transmission in the spread of HCV.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. f2said@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Fadwa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Beshlawy
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamdy
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Raziky
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sherif
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdel kader
authors.forename: Lamis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ragab
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005190:Family; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Egypt; hepatitis C; intrafamilial; multitransfused; thalassemia