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Chang, Chun‐Chi; Lin, Chun-Hui; Lee, Chien-Te; Chang, Shun‐Jen; Ko, Ying‐Chin; Liu, Hong‐Wen

doi:10.1023/a:1007662315835

Cited by 32 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Exposure to contaminated blood or blood products, particularly via injection drug use, is the most efficient route of HCV transmission. Among injection drug users in Taiwan in the late 1990s, the prevalence of anti-HCV antibody positivity was 66.4–67.2% [22], [23]. Despite the implementation of national policies aimed at stopping the spread of HCV infection in Taiwan [24], [25], the prevalence of anti-HCV positivity in IDUs with HIV infection in Taiwan was around 97% in the late 2000s [8], [9].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Injection Drug Users with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection

et al. 2014

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The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among injection drug users (IDUs) with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in southern Taiwan. For 562 IDUs (265 anti-HIV negative, 297 anti-HIV positive), we analyzed liver function, anti-HIV antibody, anti-HCV antibody, HCV viral loads, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). HIV RNA viral loads and CD4 cell count for anti-HIV-seropositive IDUs and the HCV genotype for HCV RNA-seropositive IDUs were measured. The seroprevalence rates of anti-HIV, anti-HCV, and HBsAg were 52.8%, 91.3%, and 15.3%, respectively. All the anti-HIV-seropositive IDUs were positive for HIV RNA. Anti-HCV seropositivity was the most important factor associated with HIV infection (odds ratio [OR], 25.06; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 8.97–74.9), followed by male gender (OR, 6.12; 95% CI, 4.05–9.39) and HBsAg seropositivity (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.11–3.34). Among IDUs positive for anti-HCV, 80.7% had detectable HCV RNA. HCV viremia after HCV exposure was strongly related to HIV infection (OR, 6.262; 95% CI, 1.515–18.28), but negatively correlated to HBsAg seropositivity (OR, 0.161; 95% CI, 0.082–0.317). HCV genotype 6 was the most prevalent genotype among all IDUs (41.0%), followed by genotypes 1 (32.3%), 3 (12.8%), and 2 (5.6%). In conclusion, about half IDUs were infected with HIV and >90% with HCV infection. Male and seropositivity for HBsAg and anti-HCV were factors related to HIV infection among our IDUs. HIV was positively correlated, whereas hepatitis B co-infection was negatively correlated with HCV viremia among IDUs with HCV exposure. Different HCV molecular epidemiology was noted among IDUs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Injection Drug Users with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection

et al. 2014

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“…Although many studies have investigated the seroepidemiology of HCV infection among IDUs in Taiwan [9-11,22-24], none distinguished between HCV mono-infection and HCV infection, and only one evaluated risk factors of HCV infection [11]. Chang et al found that younger age and longer duration of injecting drug use were independently associated with HCV infection among Taiwanese IDUs; however, because that study used a combination of HIV mono-infected and seronegative cases as the reference group, it may have underestimated the effects of HCV infection [11].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chang et al found that younger age and longer duration of injecting drug use were independently associated with HCV infection among Taiwanese IDUs; however, because that study used a combination of HIV mono-infected and seronegative cases as the reference group, it may have underestimated the effects of HCV infection [11]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although few studies evaluated the prevalence of HCV mono-infection among IDUs, overall HCV prevalence (91.1%) was higher in our study than in prior reports in Taiwan. For example, HCV prevalence was 59.5–89.6% among incarcerated IDUs between 1997 and 2005 [9-11] and 89.2% among IDUs at the MMTPs in four counties and cities in 2008 [12]. The present overall HCV prevalence was also higher than that reported in most other Asian countries, e.g., 47.8% in India between 2004 and 2006 [27], 60% in China in 2007 [28], and 46% in Vietnam between 2005 and 2006 [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prevalences and associated risk factors of HCV/HIV co-infection and HCV mono-infection among injecting drug users in a methadone maintenance treatment program in Taipei, Taiwan

Yen

et al. 2012

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundInjecting drug users (IDUs) in Taiwan contributed significantly to an HIV/AIDS epidemic in 2005. In addition, studies that identified risk factors of HCV/HIV co-infection among IDUs were sparse. This study aimed to identify risk factors of HCV/HIV co-infection and HCV mono-infection, as compared with seronegativity, among injecting drug users (IDUs) at a large methadone maintenance treatment program (MMTP) in Taipei, Taiwan.MethodsData from enrollment interviews and HCV and HIV testing completed by IDUs upon admission to the Taipei City Hospital MMTP from 2006–2010 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. HCV and HIV testing was repeated among re-enrollees whose HCV or HIV test results were negative at the preceding enrollment. Backward stepwise multinomial logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with HCV/HIV co-infection and HCV mono-infection.ResultsOf the 1,447 IDUs enrolled, the prevalences of HCV/HIV co-infection, HCV mono-infection, and HIV mono-infection were 13.1%, 78.0%, and 0.4%, respectively. In backward stepwise multinomial regression analysis, after controlling for potential confounders, syringe sharing in the 6 months before MMTP enrollment was significantly positively associated with HCV/HIV co-infection (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=27.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.30–57.76). Incarceration was also significantly positively associated with HCV/HIV co-infection (AOR=2.01, 95% CI 1.71–2.37) and HCV mono-infection (AOR=1.77, 95% CI 1.52–2.06), whereas smoking amphetamine in the 6 months before MMTP enrollment was significantly inversely associated with HCV/HIV co-infection (AOR=0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.76) and HCV mono-infection (AOR=0.49, 95% CI 0.32–0.75). HCV seroincidence was 45.25/100 person-years at risk (PYAR; 95% CI 24.74–75.92/100 PYAR) and HIV seroincidence was 0.53/100 PYAR (95% CI 0.06–1.91/100 PYAR) among re-enrolled IDUs who were HCV- or HIV-negative at the preceding enrollment.ConclusionsIDUs enrolled in Taipei MMTPs had very high prevalences of HCV/HIV co-infection and HCV mono-infection. Interventions such as expansion of syringe exchange programs and education regarding HCV/HIV prevention should be implemented for this high-risk group of drug users.

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“…Rates of HCV infection among past and current IDUs are extremely high generally ranging from 70 % to over 90 % (antibody positive for HCV) in the United States (Chang et al 1999; Williams 1999; Edlin et al 2001). IDUs are frequently involved in the abuse of heroin, one of the most commonly used opiates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heroin Use Promotes HCV Infection and Dysregulates HCV-Related Circulating microRNAs

Zhou

Lee

Wang

et al. 2015

J Neuroimmune Pharmacol

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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among injection drug users (IDUs). There is accumulating evidence that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with HCV infection and disease progression. The present study was undertaken to determine the in vivo impact of heroin use on HCV infection and HCV-related circulating miRNA expression. Using the blood specimens from four groups of the study subjects (HCV-infected individuals, heroin users with/without HCV infection, and healthy volunteers), we found that HCV-infected heroin users had significantly higher viral load than HCV-infected non-heroin users (p = 0.0004). Measurement of HCV-related circulating miRNAs in plasma showed that miRs-122, 141, 29a, 29b, and 29c were significantly increased in the heroin users with HCV infection, whereas miR-351, an HCV inhibitory miRNA, was significantly decreased in heroin users as compared to control subjects. Further investigation identified a negative correlation between the plasma levels of miR-29 family members and severity of HCV infection based on aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI). In addition, heroin use and/or HCV infection also dysregulated a panel of plasma miRNAs. Taken together, these data for the first time revealed in vivo evidence that heroin use and/or HCV infection alter circulating miRNAs, which provides a novel mechanism for the impaired innate anti-HCV immunity among IDUs.

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Cited by 32 publications

References 17 publications

Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Injection Drug Users with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection

Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Injection Drug Users with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infection

Prevalences and associated risk factors of HCV/HIV co-infection and HCV mono-infection among injecting drug users in a methadone maintenance treatment program in Taipei, Taiwan

Heroin Use Promotes HCV Infection and Dysregulates HCV-Related Circulating microRNAs

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