Hepatitis C virus infection in the family setting of patients with occult hepatitis C

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 81; no. 7; pp. 1198 - 1203
• Main Authors: Castillo, Inmaculada, Bartolomé, Javier, Quiroga, Juan Antonio, Barril, Guillermina, Carreño, Vicente
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.07.2009; Wiley
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; anti-HCV; Biological and medical sciences; Cluster Analysis; Family Health; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HCV RNA; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepacivirus - isolation & purification; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - transmission; Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Liver - virology; Liver Function Tests; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; occult HCV; Prevalence; RNA, Viral - blood; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology; Transaminases - blood; Viral diseases; Virology; Young Adult; Human; HCV RNA; Hepatic disease; Infection; Virus; occult HCV; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; Flaviviridae; Hepatitis C virus; Hepacivirus; anti-HCV; Viral hepatitis C
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21483

Family members of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are at increased risk of HCV infection but the prevalence of HCV among family members of patients with occult HCV infection is not known. Anti-HCV, serum HCV RNA and levels of liver enzymes were determined in 102 family members of 50 index patients with occult HCV infection and in 118 family members of 59 chronic hepatitis C index patients. HCV RNA and/or anti-HCV were detected in 10/102 (9.8%) relatives of patients with occult HCV infection and in 4/118 (3.4%) of patients with chronic hepatitis C. Fourteen additional family members (seven were relatives of index patients with occult HCV infection) had abnormal values of liver enzymes without serological markers of HCV infection. Two of these patients (who were relatives of two index patients with occult HCV infection) underwent a liver biopsy and were diagnosed with an occult HCV infection because HCV RNA was detected in the liver cells in the absence of serological HCV markers. In conclusion, the prevalence of HCV infection among family members of patients with occult HCV infection was similar to that found among family members of patients with chronic hepatitis C. This stresses the need to adopt strategies to prevent the transmission of HCV in the family setting of patients with occult HCV infection. J. Med. Virol. 81:1198-1203, 2009.