Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infections among heterosexuals with multiple partners

A study among heterosexual men and women with multiple sexual partners was carried out to assess the seroprevalence of antibody against hepatitis C virus (HCV). The 468 participants were recruited among visitors to the Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Amsterdam. Sera were tested by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Ortho), a recombinant‐based immunoblot assay (RIBA; Chiron), and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 468 persons were tested, and seven (1.5%) were found ELISA positive. Another 25 (5%) were ELISA indeterminate. Six of the seven ELISA‐positive cases were RlBA positive. Further serum samples from five HCV ELISA‐positive persons were tested by PCR, and four were found to be positive. The HCV ELISA‐positive/RIBA‐indeterminate reaction was PCR negative. None of the 17 RIBA‐tested sera of the ELISA‐indeterminate group yielded a positive result. There was a good correlation between an ELISA optical density/ cut‐off ratio greater than 2 and a positive RlBA result. The risk factor for HCV appeared to be the type of sexual partner, i.e., belonging to a “high‐risk” group for human immunodeficiency virus infection and origin from hepatitis B‐endemic countries. It is concluded that HCV may be transmitted through heterosexual contact but probably with low efficiency.