HCV and HIV infection among intravenous drug abusers in eastern Sicily.
In a study of 175 intravenous drug addicts from Eastern Sicily, 58.3% were found to be anti-HCV positive. In this population, the presence of anti-HCV was independent of HIV infection, age, duration of drug use and the practice of needle sharing. This may indicate that HCV is more readily transmitted (or spread earlier in this population) among drug addicts than is HIV.
Cacopardo
B
B
Institute of Infectious Disease, University of Catania, Italy.
Fatuzzo
F
F
Cosentino
S
S
Celesia
B M
BM
Mughini
M T
MT
La Rosa
R
R
Bruno
S
S
Lupo
G
G
Zipper
F
F
La Medica
G
G
D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*