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Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of this presentation, the audience will be able to describe the magnitude of hepatitis C virus infection in drug users, and list obstacles to HCV prevention in this population
Background:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is endemic in drug-user populations, with high prevalence and incidence among injection drug users (IDUs), and HCV infection evident among non-injection users of drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
Methods:
A systematic review of studies reporting prevalence and incidence of HCV infection in drug users in relation to person, place and time was conducted. Research evaluating the effect of public health interventions (e.g., needle exchange, drug treatment, screening and disinfectant bleach) is summarized. Potential areas for research and prevention will be listed.
Results:
In drug injectors throughout the world, prevalence of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) ranges between 35-98%; HCV incidence also varies substantially (10-40/100 PY). HCV infection in IDUs is associated with time at risk and with several specific drug injection practices. Studies indicate that, from onset of drug injection, HCV may be acquired within 1.5 – 3.5 years. Among IDUs, there is confusion about HCV risk and a perception that HCV is an inevitable consequence of injection. A relatively small proportion of injectors have been tested and few HCV-positive IDUs know their serostatus. In non-injection users of drugs, median prevalence is 5%, and anti-HCV positivity is associated with the shared use of paraphernalia used to smoke or snort drugs. Studies of interventions to prevent HCV have shown limited success, yet evidence of declining HCV in some IDU populations does exist.
Conclusions:
Successful control of HCV infection in drug users will require scaling up existing approaches (education, screening, syringe exchange, drug treatment) and developing new strategies that harness drug user social networks to disseminate HCV knowledge and new norms as vehicles to promote safe injection.
See more of Poster Session #2
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference