Evidence for a substantial role of sharing of injecting paraphernalia other than syringes/needles to the spread of hepatitis C among injecting drug users.
In industrialized countries, transmission of hepatitis C occurs primarily through injecting drug use. Transmission of hepatitis C in injecting drug users is mainly associated with the sharing of contaminated syringes/needles, although evidence for risk of hepatitis C infection through sharing of other injecting paraphernalia is increasing. In this paper, the independent effects of sharing paraphernalia other than syringes/needles have been estimated. The prevalence and force of infection were modelled using three serological data sets from drug users in three centres in Belgium as a function of the sharing behaviour. It was found that sharing of materials other than syringes/needles indeed seemed to contribute substantially to the spread of hepatitis C among injecting drug users.
Mathei
C
C
Department of General Practice, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. catharina.mathei@telenet.be
Shkedy
Z
Z
Denis
B
B
Kabali
C
C
Aerts
M
M
Molenberghs
G
G
Van Damme
P
P
Buntinx
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000254:growth & development*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D016485:Needle Sharing; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000821:virology*
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies