HTLV-III antibody prevalence among young delinquent drug abusers in long-term residential treatment at a North-German drug clinic.
To date, long-term intravenous drug users studied at regional European centers of illicit drug use have had a high number of LAV/HTLV-III infections. Among 200 patients remanded by court or referred from prison to a special clinic in northern Germany for young delinquent drug abusers, 26 (17%) of 157 IV drug abusers were HTLV-III seropositive. With 40% seropositive, female patients showed a significantly higher prevalence of HTLV-III infection than males. The results of longitudinal serological, immunological, and clinical observations over periods of 12 months and 2-3 years indicate that under conditions of continuous medical surveillance, sound preventive counseling, and steady therapeutic care during long-term coeducative residential treatment of drug abusers, neither detectable HTLV-III transmission nor definite progression of HTLV-III induced impairment of immune regulatory functions must ensue.
Paschelke
G
G
Altvater-Kremer
G
G
Meyer
W D
WD
Kremer
H
H
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000175:diagnosis; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005860:Germany, West; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies