HEPATITIS-C TRANSMISSION BETWEEN SPOUSES

To examine inter-spouse transmission as one of the potential routes of infection for hepatitis C virus (HCV), 121 patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease who tested positive for antibodies to HCV (anti- HCV) and their spouses were studied. Of these, 21 (17.4%) patients had spouses with anti-HCV. In 12 couples, the HCV genotype matched (type II: 10 couples, type LII: two couples). The genotype differed in six c ouples. One patient was positive for anti-HCV, but negative for HCV-RN A, while the spouse was positive for both. The remaining two couples w ere only positive for anti-HCV. Genetic heterogeneity in the hypervari able region I of HCV was analysed in II couples with matched genotypes . In two couples, no mutation was recognized in the putative E2/NS1 ge nes using the heteroduplex method. The present study provides evidence to verify household transmission of HCV between patients and their sp ouses. These results suggest that inter-spouse transmission may be a p otential route of transmission of HCV infection. However, other enviro nmental factors (e.g. the duration of the marriage) cannot be ignored.