Interspousal transmission of hepatitis C VIRUS

ABSTRACT

To estimate the sero-prevalence of anti-HCV among the spouses of HCV positive patients. A cross-sectional survey. Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, from January 2001 to January 2004. 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. 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 HCVpositive 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. 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