The criterion standard for the diagnosis of occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is detection of HCV-RNA in liver cells. However, because of the invasive nature of liver biopsy, other methods have been studied. The present study aimed to identify subjects with occult HCV-4 infection among healthy sexual partners of patients with chronic HCV-4 infection by detecting HCV-RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fifty healthy Egyptian spouses of patients with chronic HCV-4 infection were included in this study. Real-time PCR was used to detect HCV-RNA in PBMCs in all the study subjects. The prevalence of occult HCV-4 infection was 4%, and a statistically significant higher prevalence was found among patients with a history of sexually transmitted infection. The results of the present study indicate the importance of intra-spousal transmission of HCV-4 infection, especially in subjects with a history of sexually transmitted infection.

An independent association exists between serum adiponectin and hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis. Therapy to increase circulating adiponectin concentration might represent a novel strategy to prevent hepatitis C-related hepatic complications.

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