Community-based survey of HCV and HIV coinfection in injection drug abusers in Sichuan Province of China.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of HCV/HIV coinfection in injection drug abusers (IDAs) in Lianshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan province, China.


METHODS
From November 8, 2002 to November 29, 2002, a community-based survey was conducted to investigate the demographic characteristics, patterns of shared injectors devices and sexual behaviors in IDAs. Blood samples were also collected to test HCV and HIV infection. A total of 379 subjects were recruited in the study through community outreach and peer recruiting methods.


RESULTS
Of the 379 IDAs, the HCV prevalence and HIV prevalence were 71.0% and 11.3%, respectively, and HCV/HIV coinfection was 11.3%. HCV infection was found in 100% and 67.3% of HIV-positive and HIV-negative IDAs, respectively. HIV prevalence was 16.0% in HCV positive IDAs while none of the HCV negative IDAs was positive for HIV. Ethnicity, shared needles or syringes and cotton in the past 3 mo and syphilis infection were associated with HCV/HIV coinfection shown by univariate analysis using chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that shared needles or syringes in the past 3 mo (Odds ratio=3.121, 95% CI: 1.278-7.617, P<0.05) and syphilis infection (Odds ratio=2.914, 95% CI: 1.327-6.398, P<0.01) were significantly associated with HCV infection. No statistically significant association was found in univariate analysis between sexual behaviors and HCV/HIV coinfection.


CONCLUSIONS
Shared needles and syringes in the past 3 mo and syphilis infection were significantly associated with HCV infection. Further sero-epidemiological prospective cohort studies should be conducted to clarify the impact of syphilis and high risk sexual behaviors on HCV transmission through unprotected sexual intercourse.
Ruan
Yu-Hua
YH
Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Hong
Kun-Xue
KX
Liu
Shi-Zhu
SZ
He
Yi-Xin
YX
Zhou
Feng
F
Qin
Guan-Ming
GM
Chen
Kang-Lin
KL
Xing
Hui
H
Chen
Jian-Ping
JP
Shao
Yi-Ming
YM
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*