Acute hepatitis C infection after sexual exposure.

Abstract

A case is described of a woman with acute hepatitis C infection whose partner had chronic hepatitis C infection and where heterosexual contact was the only major risk factor. Infection of both partners was confirmed serologically and by the finding of virus RNA by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction amplification. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the NS5 region (RNA polymerase) was used to show that both partners were infected with virus of the same genotype (la). The nucleotide sequence of virus RNA found in the female patient is closest to variants cocirculating in the male contact, consistent with transmission having occurred between the two. (Gut 1995; 36: 148-150)

Molecular investigation of interspousal transmission of hepatitis C virus in two Japanese patients who acquired acute hepatitis C after 40 or 42 years of marriage

“…Cases of HCV transmission between monogamous spouses probably by sexual intercourse, have been reported mainly based on the seroepidemiological analysis of anti-HCV antibody and/or genotype [Honda et al, 1993;Akahane et al, 1994;Chayama et al, 1995;Kao et al, 1996]. To our knowledge, at least eight cases of acute HCV infection transmitted from their sexual partner, which were confirmed by molecular approaches, have been reported [Rice et al, 1993;Healey et al, 1995;Capelli et al, 1997;Komine et al, 1999;Ross et al, 1999;Kao et al, 2000;Halfon et al, 2001;Yagura et al, 2002], and among them, only a single case was via interspousal Fig. 2.…”

Higher prevalence of anti‐HCV antibodies among HIV‐positive compared to HIV‐negative inhabitants of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…Alternatively, the common route of HCV and HIV transmission may be sexual rather than parenteral. Indeed, HIV is thought to be primarily sexually transmitted in Addis Ababa [Fontanet et al, 1998], and other studies have shown a small but definite risk of sexual transmission of HCV [Rice et al, 1993;Healey et al, 1995;Rooney and Gilson, 1998]. Some studies suggest that this risk would be increased in the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases [Shev et al, 1995].…”

Clinical Significance of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes

“…A possible explanation is that sexual transmission occurs only in association with specific HCV genotypes or in the presence of specific mutations along the HCV genome. As with vertical transmission, samples from patients with suspected sexual transmission of HCV have undergone nucleotide sequence analysis to confirm the similarity of sequences obtained from sexual partners and thus the common origin of these HCV strains (21,51,61). Although the data are suggestive of a role of HCV heterogeneity in sexual transmission, this speculation needs to be confirmed.…”