Korean J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.  2005 Mar;8(1):91-95.

A Case of Familial Clustering of Hepatitis C Virus

• Jeung H
• Jang HS
• Lee YJ
• Lee KW
• Kim HY
• Park JH

Abstract

The familial environment may also play an important role in the epidemiology of HCV infection through vertical and horizontal transmission by infected household members. However, it is still controversial whether familial clustering of HCV occurs. We experienced a case of familial clustering of hepatitis C virus. A 10-year old girl presented with nausea, vomiting and anorexia for a month was diagnosed as hepatitis C. Her mother, grandmother, a maternal aunt and her daughter had contracted with HCV. Her laboratory findings showed AST/ALT 63/122 IU/L, positive anti-HCV Ab and HCV RNA (3.54 x 10(5) copies/mL). Pathologic findings of the liver biopsy revealed chronic hepatitis with minimal lobular activity, mild porto-periportal activity and mild portal fibrosis. After treatment with interferon-alpha 2b for 6 months, the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings were normalized.

Keyword

Hepatitis C; Familial clustering

MeSH Terms

Anorexia
Biopsy
Child
Cluster Analysis*
Epidemiology
Family Characteristics
Female
Fibrosis
Hepacivirus*
Hepatitis C*
Hepatitis*
Hepatitis, Chronic
Humans
Interferon-alpha
Liver
Mothers
Nausea
Nuclear Family
RNA
Vomiting
Interferon-alpha
RNA