title: Hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection among injection drug users in Los Angeles County, California.
abstract: This study examined the prevalence of hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), C (HCV), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) co-infection among Injection Drug Users (IDUs) in Los Angeles County, California, and predictors of multiple infections in this population. Six hundred seventy-nine IDUs were recruited from October 2002 through June 2004. Participants completed questionnaires to elicit demographic, drug and sex risk information, and were tested for hepatitis A, B, C and HIV.A linear regression model predicting the total number of infections (0 to 4 possible) was constructed. Significant associations were found between HAV and HBV infection, HAV and HCV infection, and HBV and HCV infection. Predictors of total co-infections included age of first injection, lifetime years in jail, and Hispanic ethnicity. Latinos had the highest proportion of HAV and HBV co-infection with HCV. The total number of co-infections, especially those co-infected with all three of the hepatitis infections, was unexpectedly high.
authors.affiliation: Center for Behavioral Research and Services, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90813, USA. fisher@csulb.edu
authors.forename: Dennis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Grace L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.forename: Mario J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Perez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation