Hepatitis C virus antibody prevalence among injecting drug users at selected needle and syringe programs in Australia, 1995-1997. Collaboration of Australian NSPs.
OBJECTIVE
To describe point prevalence of HCV antibody and relevant risk behaviour among people who inject drugs and who attended selected needle and syringe programs throughout Australia in 1995, 1996 and 1997.


METHODS
Repeated cross-sectional surveys of one week's duration were carried out in 21, 20 and 23 needle and syringe program sites throughout Australia in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively.


METHODS
All clients attending participating sites during the designated survey week were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire and provide a finger-prick blood sample for HCV antibody testing.


METHODS
Prevalence of HCV antibody.


RESULTS
Survey response was 41% (n = 979) in 1995, 51% (n = 1463) in 1996 and 48% (n = 1699) in 1997. HCV prevalence declined significantly from 63% in 1995 to 51% in 1996 and 50% in 1997 (P < 0.001). Among respondents who reported injecting for less than three years, prevalence declined from 22% in 1995 to 13% in 1996 and 1997 (P < 0.001). Reported use of needles and syringes after someone else in the previous month declined from 31% in 1995 and 28% in 1996 to 15% in 1997 (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite an apparent decline in HCV prevalence, carriage rates of HCV antibody remain high.
MacDonald
M A
MA
National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney. mmacd@nchecr.unsw.edu.au
Wodak
A D
AD
Dolan
K A
KA
van Beek
I
I
Cunningham
P H
PH
Kaldor
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies