Antibodies against hepatitis C in a population of Swedish haemophiliacs and heterosexual partners.

The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus in 160 Swedish patients with haemophilia or related coagulation disorders and 13 heterosexual partners was assessed by means of an ELISA method. A high prevalence of HCV antibodies was found in haemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis (87%), with HIV-antibodies (87%), with severe form of the coagulopathy (81%), and among those who at any point had received factor concentrates without viral inactivation (79%) or of foreign origin (84%). On the other hand, none of the partners were seropositive, indicating a low risk of sexual transmission.