Hepatitis C virus in intravenous drug users.
Sera from 172 intravenous drug users were tested for the presence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). The results were analysed in relation to aspects of the history of drug use and evidence of liver disease. The presence of anti-HCV was strongly associated with duration of intravenous drug use. Two-thirds of patients were anti-HCV seropositive within two years of commencing regular intravenous drug use, and there was 100% seropositivity among people injecting drugs for more than eight years. Seropositivity for hepatitis C virus closely paralleled exposure to hepatitis B virus, which was also endemic in this population. In contrast, only one patient tested positive for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus. The presence of anti-HCV correlated poorly with biochemical markers of hepatitis. About half the patients with anti-HCV had normal serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, whereas an abnormal liver biochemistry was frequently observed in anti-HCV seronegative subjects. Previous studies of non-A, non-B hepatitis that have used abnormal liver biochemistry as a marker have underestimated the prevalence of chronic hepatitis among intravenous drug users; the use of a specific screening test reveals that infection with hepatitis C virus is very common in this population.
Bell
J
J
Westmead Hospital, NSW.
Batey
R G
RG
Farrell
G C
GC
Crewe
E B
EB
Cunningham
A L
AL
Byth
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D003932:Heroin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase