A case of acute hepatitis C, most likely by interlovers sexual transmission, cured by peginterferon α2a therapy

Abstract

A 29-year-old woman with acute hepatitis C visited our hospital at November 21,2007. ALT did not become normal. HCV serotype revealed Group 2 and HCV RNA was 3.0 Log IU/ml (Real time method) at March 21,2008. Liver Biopsy showed chronic hepatitis F1A1 at March 21, so she was treated with pegylated interferon α2a for 12 weeks and attained sustained virological response. On the other hands, her fiancé treated for acute hepatitis C at another hospital revealed HCV Group 2 and HCV RNA was 430 KIU/ml (High ranged method). The HCV isolates from the patients and her fiancé shared 100% identity in the 338 nucleotide sequences of the NS5B region. Phylogenitic analysis of the 338 sequences revealed that the two isolates segregated into a cluster. Thus the patient has acquired HCV infection from her fiancé, most likely by sexual transmission. © 2009 The Japan Society of Hepatology.