inPractice® - Sexual Transmission

Sexual contact is the second most common risk factor for HCV acquisition among patients with acute HCV infection
- However, the prevalence of HCV infection reported in groups at high risk for STDs is relatively low
- Studies in monogamous serodiscordant heterosexual couples show no or very low rates of transmission, although this may be partly due to the development of protective cellular immunity in seronegative partners through repeated exposure to limited quantities of virions^{[Tahan 2005; Vandelli 2004; Terrault 2013]}