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Low incidence of hepatitis C virus transmission between spouses: A prospective study
Author(s) -
Kao JiaHorng,
Liu ChunJen,
Chen PeiJer,
Chen Wendy,
Lai MingYang,
Chen DingShinn
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2000.02165.x
Subject(s) - medicine , spouse , seroconversion , hepatitis c virus , transmission (telecommunications) , virology , incidence (geometry) , prospective cohort study , hepatitis c , viral disease , sexual transmission , flaviviridae , genotype , immunology , virus , biology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , genetics , physics , microbicide , optics , sociology , anthropology , electrical engineering , engineering , gene
Background: Interspousal transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been documented; however, the annual risk of interspousal transmission remains unclear.Methods: A long‐term prospective study to define the risk of interspousal transmission of HCV was conducted. One hundred and twelve index patients with chronic hepatitis C and their anti‐HCV seronegative spouses were enrolled.Results: The mean follow‐up period was 45.9 months. Antibodies to HCV (anti‐HCV) and HCV‐RNA were tested for in each seronegative spouse every year. Seroconversion of anti‐HCV occurred in only one spouse, 2 years after enrolment, with a concomitant acute hepatitis. This subject and his spouse were infected with HCV genotype 1b. Nucleotide sequence comparison of the hypervariable region of their HCV genomes showed a homology of 98%. Further phylogenetic analysis suggested that they had virtually the same isolate. Accordingly, the annual risk of interspousal transmission of HCV infection was 0.23% per year.Conclusions: These findings suggest a low incidence of interspousal transmission of HCV; however, the risk may be cumulative and such couples should be educated to avoid HCV infection from their spouses.

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