Viral hepatitis in drug addicts

Abstract

Summary Viral hepatitis is an important and frequent complication of drug addiction. The discovery of the Australia antigen and its association with serum hepatitis has provided a number of specific serological tests which may be used for the diagnosis of at least a proportion of patients with hepatitis and also for the detection of carriers of the hepatitis virus. These tests might now be used to study in greater detail than has hitherto been possible the epidemiology of serum hepatitis among drug dependents, their contacts and the community at large.

The laboratory diagnosis of the hepatitis viruses

“…HBV is transmitted both sexually and parenterally 8 . It is therefore often associated with promiscuous sexual behaviour 9 , and is common among male homosexuals 10 and intravenous (IV) drug users 11 . Receipt of blood or blood products constitutes a risk factor for HBV infection 12 , although the introduction of blood donor screening has greatly reduced the incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis B. Vertical transmission from mothers to their infants has been reported 13 .…”