@article {117517, title = {Intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C infection in Egyptian multitransfused thalassemia patients.}, journal = {Journal of tropical pediatrics}, volume = {59}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Aug}, pages = {309-13}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Detecting the current prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among Egyptian multitransfused thalassemic patients and evaluating the risk of its transmission within their family members.

METHODS: Multitransfused Egyptian thalassemia patients (n = 137) were tested for HCV infection. Household contacts of positive members were compared with household contacts of HCV-negative patients. Antibodies to HCV were detected by enzyme immunoassay. Antibody-positive cases were retested for viral load using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. HCV genotyping was performed on positive samples of the patients and the positive household contacts.

RESULTS: In all, 34.4\% of patients (n = 47) were positive for HCV antibodies and RNA. The study of 24 families of HCV-positive patients showed 14 affected family members (19.2\%). In 27 families of HCV-negative patients, four family members were affected (4.9\%). HCV genotyping of seven families was similar in both patients and their family members.

CONCLUSION: Our results support the role of intrafamilial transmission in the spread of HCV.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Blood Transfusion, Child, Contact Tracing, Egypt, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Family, Family Health, Female, Genotype, Hepacivirus, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis C Antibodies, Humans, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Risk Factors, RNA, Viral, Thalassemia, Viral Load, Young Adult}, issn = {1465-3664}, doi = {10.1093/tropej/fmt017}, author = {Said, Fadwa and Amal ElBeshlawy and HAMDY, MONA and El Raziky, Mona and Sherif, Mai and Abdel kader, Ahmed and Ragab, Lamis} }