Sharing of Noninjection Drug-Use Implements as a Risk Factor for Hepatitis C

Abstract

This study examined sharing noninjection drug implements as a risk factor for hepatitis C (HCV) infection among women drug users (n = 123) with no history of drug injection. Participants were street-recruited from East Harlem, New York City, between October 1997 and June 1999. Participants were administered a survey measuring risk factors for HCV. Prevalence of HCV and HIV infections was 19.5% and 14.6%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression determined significant associations between sharing noninjection drug-use implements and HCV infection. "Ever shared both oral and intranasal noninjection drug implements" was independently associated with HCV infection [Odds ratio (OR) 2.83; Confidence interval (CI) 1.04, 7.72; p = 0.04]; "ever shared noninjected heroin implements with an injector" was a trend (OR 3.06; CI .85, 10.79; p = 0.08). The strongest association between sharing noninjection drug-use implements and HCV infection was found among HIV positive individuals (chi2 = 8.8, 1 d.f., p < 0.01). These findings, if supported by future research, indicate a need to reassess policies regarding HCV infection.

Non-injection drug use and Hepatitis C Virus: A systematic review

“…We found 28 published reports that met our criteria (Allwright et al, 2000;Baozhang et al, 1997;Broers et al, 1998;Chang et al, 1999;Denis et al, 2000;Feldman et al, 2000;Fuller et al, 2004;Galperim et al, 2004;Garten et al, 2004;Gyarmathy et al, 2002;Harsch et al, 2000;Hershow et al, 1998;Howe et al, 2005;Koblin et al, 2003;Lai et al, 2001;Maayan et al, 1994;Mathei et al, 2005;Njoh et al, 1997;Nyamathi et al, 2002;Quaglio et al 2003a;Quaglio et al 2003b;Santana Rodriguez et al, 1998;Shrestha et al, 1998;Strasfeld et al, 2003;Tortu et al, 2001;Tortu et al, 2004;Van Ameijden et al, 1993;Ward et al, 2000). One report included two separate studies, both of which were included (Tortu et al, 2001) and which appear in Table 1 in two separate rows; two reports were by the same author and indicated the same overall seroprevalence and sample size, therefore we counted this as one study (Quaglio et al 2003a(Quaglio et al & 2003b.…”

“…Those that did give characteristics reported that their samples were predominantly male (62 percent-100 percent male), although there were five studies that either recruited only females or restricted their analysis to female subjects (Feldman et al, 2000;Hershow et al, 1998;Tortu et al, 2004;Tortu et al, 2001;Ward et al, 2000). The NIDUs in the majority of the reports we located were relatively young; among those studies that reported age information, the mean age of the subjects varied between 25 and 30 years old.…”

“…There was overlap between study samples in some cases, (Tortu et al, 2001;Tortu et al, 2004) and (Fuller et al, 2004;Howe et al, 2005;Koblin et al, 2003). For calculations of median HCV prevalence, we used the study with the largest NIDU sample (Howe et al, 2005;Tortu et al, 2001) and chose not to include the three others (Fuller et al, 2004;Koblin et al, 2003;Tortu et al, 2004) in order to avoid double counting overlapping samples.…”

“…For calculations of median HCV prevalence, we used the study with the largest NIDU sample (Howe et al, 2005;Tortu et al, 2001) and chose not to include the three others (Fuller et al, 2004;Koblin et al, 2003;Tortu et al, 2004) in order to avoid double counting overlapping samples. We have included all the published studies in Tables 1 and 3 and have included all studies with relevant risk factors in Table 2.…”

Differences between co-users of cocaine and crack among Canadian illicit opioid users

“…vated risk factors in this group (e.g., marginalization, sex work, unsafe injection practices, etc) (Roy et al, 2001;Weinstock, Bolan, Reingold, & Polish, 1993;Thorpe, Ouellet, Levy, Williams, & Monterroso, 2000;Tortu, McMahon, Pouget, & Hamid, 2004). Among users in Canadian cities, crack use with unsafe materials and paraphernalia sharing is common (Haydon et al, 2005a).…”