Hepatitis C in Intravenous Drug Users: Seroprevalence and Risk Factors

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine and Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

2 Specialist in Community Medicine, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

3 Technical Manager, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfa-han, Iran.

4 Researcher, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

5 AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Transmitted Diseases Expert, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Health Center, Isfa-han, Iran.

6 Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine and Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C, as a major public health problem, has serious complications and intravenous drug users are the most high risk group for it. This study was performed to determine hepatitis C seroepidemiolgy and related risk factors among intravenous drug users in Isfahan province.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, intravenous drug users (IVDUs) in central prison, Assadabad camp and Drop in Centers in Isfahan province were selected using census sampling method. After completion validated questionaire including demographic and risk factors by interiew, a 5 cc blood sample was obtained and HCV-Ab was detected using ELISA method.Finding: Among 1485 intravenous drug users (1457 male) with mean age of 32 ± 7 years, 644 (43.4%) were HCV-Ab positive. Not being married, tatooing, needle share, prison history, history of going to dentist and duration of intravenous drug abuse were indepenedent risk factors for hepatitis C. Also, men with men sex, sex with intravenous drug users and unprotected sex (without condom) had significant relationship with hepatitis C. Among HCV risk factors, needle share and prison history had hightest relative and attributable risks. Using ROC curve, the cut off point for duration of intravenous drug abuse was estiamted as three months.Conclusion: The main results of this study indicated high prevalence rate of hepatitis C and the major role of needle share and prison history among intravenous drug users population in Isfahan province that needs to pay attention by governments.

Keywords

References

  1. Sy T, Jamal M. Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection. International Journal of Medical Sciences 2006; 3(2): 41-6.
  2. El Saadany S, Coyle D, Giulivi A, Afzal M. Economic burden of hepatitis C in Canada and the potential impact of prevention. Results from a disease model. Eur J Health Econ 2005; 6(2): 159-65.
  3. Perz JF, Armstrong GL, Farrington LA, Hutin YJ, Bell BP. The contributions of hepatitis B vi- rus and hepatitis C virus infections to cirrhosis and primary liver cancer worldwide. J Hepatol 2006; 45(4): 529-38.
  4. Alavian SM, Adibi P, Zali MR. Hepatitis C virus in Iran: Epidemiology of an Emerging Infection. Archives of Iranian Medicine 2005; 8(2): 84-90.
  5. Alavian SM, Gholami B, Masarrat S. Hepatitis C risk factors in Iranian volunteer blood donors: a case-control study. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002; 17(10): 1092-7.
  6. Lauer GM, Walker BD. Hepatitis C virus infec- tion. N Engl J Med 2001; 345(1): 41-52.
  7. Zamani S, Kihara M, Gouya MM, Vazirian M, Nassirimanesh B, Ono-Kihara M et al. High pre- valence of HIV infection associated with incarce-
  8. ration among community-based injecting drug users in Tehran, Iran. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2006; 42(3): 342-6.
  9. Rowhani Rahbar A, Rooholamini S, Khoshnood K. Prevalence of HIV infection and other blood- borne infections in incarcerated and non- incarcerated injection drug users (IDUs) in Mashhad, Iran. International Journal of Drug Policy 2004; 15(2): 151-5.
  10. Mir-Nasseri MM, Poustchi H, Nasseri- Moghadam S, Nouraie SM, Tahaghoghi S, Af- shar P. HCV in intravenous drug users. Govaresh 2005; 2: 80-6.
  11. Zali MR, Aghazadeh R, Nowroozi A, Amir- Rasouly H. Anti-HCV antibody among Iranian IV drug users: is it a serious problem? Archives of Iranian Medicine 2001; 4(3): 115-9.
  12. Zamani S, Ichikawa S, Nassirimanesh B, Vazi- rian M, Ichikawa K, Gouya MM, et al. Preva- lence and correlates of hepatitis C virus infection among injecting drug users in Tehran. Int J Drug Policy 2007; 18(5): 359-63.
  13. Mirahmadizadeh AR, Kadivar MR, Hemmati AR, Javadi A. Infection with HIV and hepatitis C and B viruses among injecting drug users in Shi- raz, Southern Iran. International Conference on AIDS 2004; 15(11): 16.
  14. Alizadeh AH, Alavian SM, Jafari K, Yazdi N. Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and its related risk factors in drug abuser prisoners in Hamedan--Iran. World J Gastroenterol 2005; 11(26): 4085-9.
  15. Mohtasham AZ, Rezvani M, Jafari SR, Jafari SA. Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors of drug using prisoners in Guilan province. East Mediterr Health J 2007; 13(2): 250-6.
  16. Imani R, Karimi A, Rouzbahani R, Rouzbahani A. Seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV infec- tion among intravenous drug users in Shahr-e- Kord, Islamic Republic of Iran. East Mediterr Health J 2008; 14(5): 1136-41.
  17. Zakizad M, Salmeh F, Yaghoobi T, Yaghoubian M, Nesami MB, Esmaeeli Z, et al. Seropreva- lence of hepatitis C infection and associated risk factors among addicted prisoners in Sari-Iran. Pak J Biol Sci 2009; 12(14): 1012-8.
  18. Alavi SM, Alavi L. Seroprevalence study of HCV among hospitalized intravenous drug users in Ahvaz, Iran (2001-2006). J Infect Public Health 2009; 2(1): 47-51.
  19. Aceijas C, Rhodes T. Global estimates of preva- lence of HCV infection among injecting drug us- ers. Int J Drug Policy 2007; 18(5): 352-8.
  20. Shisana O, Zungu-Dirwayi N, Toefy Y, Simbayi LC, Malik S, Zuma K. Marital status and risk of HIV infection in South Africa. S Afr Med J 2004; 94(7): 537-43.
  21. Ejele OA, Nwauche CA, Erhabor O. Seropreva- lence of hepatitis C virus in the Niger Delta of Ni- geria. Niger Postgrad Med J 2006; 13(2): 103-6.
  22. Samuel MC, Doherty PM, Bulterys M, Jenison SA. Association between heroin use, needle shar- ing and tattoos received in prison with hepatitis B and C positivity among street-recruited inject- ing drug users in New Mexico, USA. Epidemiol Infect 2001; 127(3): 475-84.
  23. Javadi AA, Avijgan M, Hafizi M. Prevalence of HBV and HCV Infections and Associated Risk Factors in Addict Prisoners. Iranian J Publ Health Iranian J Publ Health 2006; 35(4): 33-6.
  24. Demetriou VL, van de Vijver DA, Hezka J, Ko- strikis LG, Kostrikis LG. Hepatitis C infection among intravenous drug users attending therapy programs in Cyprus. J Med Virol 2010; 82(2): 263-70.
  25. Hagan H, Des J, Stern R, Lelutiu-Weinberger C, Scheinmann R, Strauss S, et al. HCV synthesis project: preliminary analyses of HCV prevalence in relation to age and duration of injection. Int J Drug Policy 2007; 18(5): 341-51.
  26. Pourahmad M, Javadi AA, Karimi I, Ataei B, Kassaian N. Seroprevalence of and risk factors associated with hepatitis B, hepatitis C and hu- man immunodeficiency virus among prisoners in Iran. Infect Dis Clin Prac 2007; 15(6): 368-72.
  27. Todd CS, Abed AM, Strathdee SA, Scott PT, Botros BA, Safi N, et al. HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B infections and associated risk beha- vior in injection drug users, Kabul, Afghanistan. Emerg Infect Dis 2007; 13(9): 1327-31.
Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 28, Issue 0
November and December 2011
Pages 1537-1545

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 20 March 2011
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics