[Possible sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus]

The development of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serology has made it possible to identify high-risk populations. The predominant mode of contamination is parenteral, but the relative frequency of the so-called sporadic hepatitis C cannot be explained in this way, and this raises the question of possible sexual contamination. The risk of HCV being transmitted by sexual intercourse has been studied in 30 couples, each with one infected partner. Among the 30 HCV seropositive subjects, 18 were followed up for chronic hepatitis and 2 for haemophilia; 10 were recruited in sessions of blood donation. The other 30 partners were tested for HCV seropositivity and investigated for other possible risk factors by means of a questionnaire. Three of them had antibodies to HCV, but only one, whose partner had chronic hepatitis, showed no other source of contamination. The prevalence of HCV positivity was 3.3 percent overall and 5.5 percent in the chronic hepatitis group. Thus, the risk of HCV heterosexual contamination is low when compared with that of the other sexually transmitted diseases. However, the prevalence of HCV in this population seems to be 5 to 10 times higher on average than in the general population.