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Position of a hepathologist

Posted by paolozanotto on 01 Jul 2010 at 22:50 GMT

FOR: leitor@uol.com.br
SUBJECT: Sexual transmission of hepatitis C
SENT: 30/06/2010 17:55

Sexual transmission of hepatitis C.

Folha de São Paulo recently published a review of a study "would indicate" a greater chance of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection through sex or individuals of promiscuous behavior. This fact affected and brought much discomfort to some patients with hepatitis C and their families. It should be clarified that the study uses a logical approach and successfully demonstrates that some markers of similar behavior, including the style of sex life, are associated with the transmission of viral subtypes related. Therefore, sex life, more than one vehicle transmission, is a marker of a behavior. It is true that stable heterosexual relationships, and even sex between men, is not a factor in the efficient transmission of HCV. Moreover, it is also true that the presence of STDs and risky sexual practices are associated with facilitation of contagion. Thus, without arguing, the synthesis of information is still not hepatitis C being an STD, but people with similar social behaviors, including a high number of sexual partners, by similarity risks, it exposes a greater chance of infection by a viral type similar.

Evaldo Stanislau Affonso de Araújo
Physician Infectious HC-FMUSP
Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis

Evaldo Stanislau Affonso de Araújo, MD, PhD, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory / LIM-47.
Infectious Diseases Department, HC-FMUSP.
Av.Dr.Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 500 room 12
Cerqueira César, São Paulo, Brazil.
CEP 05403-000
Tel & Fax: + 55 11 30851601
Mobile: + 55 13 81112244
Email: evaldostanislau@uol.com.br

Competing interests declared: I am the corresponding author posting a comment on our paper done in the media by a scientist, trying to clarify misunderstanding about our paper.