Indications of immune protection from hepatitis C infection.
Hepatitis C affects many millions of people worldwide and is at very high prevalence among people who inject drugs. In our study of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the social networks of injecting drug users (IDUs), five IDUs with injecting careers of 9 years or more were HCV antibody and RNA negative. All injected frequently with HCV RNA-positive IDUs, and two had recently injected with the syringe of an RNA-positive IDU. Our data suggest the existence of immune protection from HCV infection.
Aitken
Campbell K
CK
Epidemiology and Social Research Program, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, PO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia. aitken@burnet.edu.au
Bowden
Scott
S
Hellard
Margaret
M
Crofts
Nick
N
D000328:Adult; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012944:Social Support; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies