J Korean Med Sci.  1994 Dec;9(6):444-449. 10.3346/jkms.1994.9.6.444.

Familial clustering of hepatitis B and C viruses in Korea

• Kim YS
• Ahn YO
• Kim DW

• KMID: 644834
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.1994.9.6.444

Abstract

In order to evaluate the familial clustering of hepatitis B virus(HBV) and hepatitis C virus(HCV) infections and to elucidate the possible routes of HCV transmission among Korean adults with chronic liver disease, 137 household contacts of 51 chronic carriers of HBsAg and 111 household contacts of 38 controls, and 181 household contacts of 96 anti-HCV positives and 102 household contacts of 76 anti-HCV negatives were tested from July 1990 to March 1994. Of 71 non-vaccinated household contacts of HBsAg carriers, 10 gave positive result for HBsAg(14.1%), but none of the household contacts of the controls were positive for HBsAg(p< 0.05). Familial clustering of HBV infection was found, when the offspring of carriers and controls were compared. A significantly higher percentage of the offspring of carriers were positive for HBV infection(54.6% vs 15.4%, p< 0.05) with OR of 6.6(95% Cl; 1.3-34.5). No evidence of familial clustering of HCV infection was found with 2.2%(4/181) anti-HCV positivity among the household contacts of index cases, similar to 1.0%(1/102) among those of controls. History of acute hepatitis(OR 3.2), transfusion(OR 3.2), and acupuncture(OR 2.5) were associated with an increased risk of HCV infection. In conclusion, HBV has strong familial clustering whereas HCV does not in Korea.

Keyword

Familial clustering; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Risk factor

MeSH Terms

Acupuncture Therapy/adverse effects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Biological Markers
Blood Transfusion/adverse effects
Carrier State
Child
Child, Preschool
Cluster Analysis
Comorbidity
Comparative Study
Contact Tracing
*Family Health
Female
Hepatitis B/*epidemiology/prevention & control/transmission/virology
Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood
Hepatitis B Core Antigens/blood
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood
Hepatitis C/*epidemiology/prevention & control/transmission/virology
Human
Infant
Korea/epidemiology
Male
Middle Age
Postoperative Complications/epidemiology
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology
Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Viral Hepatitis Vaccines