Sexual transmission of hepatitis c virus among patients attending sexually transmitted diseases clinics in baltimore-an analysis of 309 sex partnerships

David L. Thomas, Jonathan M. Zenilman, Harvey J. Alter, James W. Shih, Noya Galai, Anthony V. Carella, Thomas C. Quinn

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), the behavioral and laboratory derived risk factors for anti-HCY, and the quantity and homology of HCY RNA were assessed among 1039 non-injection drug-using sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients representing 309 sex partnerships. Thirty-seven (7%) of 555 males and 19 (4%) of 484 females had anti-HCY. In logistic regression analyses, factors associated with anti-HCY included age (P <.001), greater numbers of lifetime sex partners (P, P =.023), human immunodeficiency virus infection (P<.001), Trichomonas infection (P <.001), cigarette smoking (P <.001), and male homosexual exposure (P =.012). Among couples, females whose sex partners were anti-HCY positive were 3.7 times more likely to have anti-HCY than females whose sex partners were anti-HCY negative (p =.039). The proportion of RNA homology between anti-HCY positive females and their male partners (94%) was higher than among randomly selected patients (82%). Sexual transmission of HCY may contribute to the high prevalence of anti-HCY reported in urban settings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)768-775
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume171
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1995
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Received 31 May 1994: revised 22 November 1994. Presented in part: 4th International Symposium on Hepatitis C. Tokyo. May 1993. Informed consent was obtained from study participants. This investigation was approved by the human subjects committee and subject recruitment was approved by the institutional review board ofthe Johns Hopkins Medical School. Financial support: National Institutes of Health (AI-16959. AI-29508). Reprints or correspondence: Dr. David Thomas. Division of Infectious Diseases. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 1155 Ross Bldg.. no Rutland Ave.. Baltimore. MD 21205. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 1995;171:768-75 © t995 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. 0022-1899/95/7104-0002$01.00

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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