Hepatitis C virus infection in young, low-income women: the role of sexually transmitted infection as a potential cofactor for HCV infection.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in women residing in low-income neighborhoods of northern California.


METHODS
A population-based sample of 1707 women, aged 18 to 29, were surveyed and screened for sexually transmitted infections and HCV.


RESULTS
Women infected with HCV (2.5%) were more likely to have a history of injection and noninjection drug use, to exchange sex for money or drugs, and to have sexually transmitted infections. HCV was independently associated with history of injection drug use, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection, and heroin and cocaine use.


CONCLUSIONS
Injection drug use is the highest risk exposure for HCV, but HSV-2 and noninjection drug use contribute significantly to increased risk. HCV prevention programs in impoverished areas should integrate drug treatment and sexually transmitted infection control.
Page-Shafer
Kimberly A
KA
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. kshafer@psg.ucsf.edu
Cahoon-Young
Barbara
B
Klausner
Jeffrey D
JD
Morrow
Scott
S
Molitor
Fred
F
Ruiz
Juan
J
McFarland
Willi
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D016387:Women's Health