Akhtar S, Moatter T, Azam S I, Rahbar M H, Adil S
Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan, Department of Pathology, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
J Viral Hepat. 2002 Jul;9(4):309-14. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2893.2002.00350.x.
Household contacts of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients are considered at increased risk of HCV infection. This cross-sectional study during April through June 1999 assessed the prevalence and risk behaviours associated with HCV seropositivity among the household contacts of HCV seropositive thalassaemic children in Karachi, Pakistan. Among the 341 household contacts of 86 thalassaemic HCV seropositive children who were tested, 70 (20.5%) were positive for anti-HCV antibodies. The stratified analysis showed that HCV seroprevalence among the contacts did not differ significantly by the gender of the index patient and the type of relationship of contact with the index patient. However, HCV seroprevalences among the fathers and mothers of male index patients was substantially higher compared to those of female index patients. HCV RNA was recovered and genotyped from nine index patients and corresponding nine HCV-seropositive household contacts. HCV genotype 3a and 3b were found in 89% (8/9) and 11% (1/9) of the pairs, respectively. The final multivariable conditional logistic regression model revealed that after adjusting for the effect of ethnicity and past hospital admission history, the HCV-seropositive household contacts were more likely than HCV seronegative household contacts to have been bitten by the carrier [adjusted matched odds ratio (mOR)=2.6, 95% CI 1.3-5.2] or have shared a toothbrush with the carrier (adjusted mOR=8.2; 95% CI 1.56-43.5). Control efforts should focus on the risk behaviours.
丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）阳性患者的家庭接触者被认为感染HCV的风险增加。这项横断面研究于1999年4月至6月进行，评估了巴基斯坦卡拉奇HCV血清学阳性地中海贫血儿童家庭接触者中与HCV血清阳性相关的患病率和风险行为。在接受检测的86名HCV血清学阳性地中海贫血儿童的341名家庭接触者中，70人（20.5%）抗HCV抗体呈阳性。分层分析表明，接触者中的HCV血清流行率在索引患者的性别以及与索引患者的接触关系类型方面没有显著差异。然而，男性索引患者的父亲和母亲中的HCV血清流行率显著高于女性索引患者的父亲和母亲。从9名索引患者和相应的9名HCV血清阳性家庭接触者中回收了HCV RNA并进行了基因分型。在89%（8/9）的配对中发现了HCV 3a基因型，在11%（1/9）的配对中发现了HCV 3b基因型。最终的多变量条件逻辑回归模型显示，在调整种族和既往住院史的影响后，HCV血清阳性家庭接触者比HCV血清阴性家庭接触者更有可能被携带者咬伤[调整后的匹配优势比（mOR）=2.6，95%可信区间1.3 - 5.2]或与携带者共用牙刷（调整后的mOR = 8.2；95%可信区间1.56 - 43.5）。防控措施应侧重于这些风险行为。
