The Open Infectious Diseases Journal

2008, 2 : 27-31
Published online 2008 October 7. DOI: 10.2174/1874279300802010027
Publisher ID: TOIDJ-2-27

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Seroepidemiology and Risk Factors Of Blood-Borne Virus Infections Among Drug Users in Uppsala County, Sweden

Staffan P.E. Sylvan, *,1 , Johan Hedlund1 , Gunilla Ohlén1 , Eva Lundell2 , Kare Bondeson3 and the Uppsala County Working Group Against Drug Dependency
1 The Department of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Uppsala County Council, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
2 Departments of Infectious Diseases, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
3 Virology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Uppsala County Council, Dag Hammarskjolds vag 17, SE-751-85 Uppsala, Sweden. E-mail: staffan.sylvan@lul.se

ABSTRACT

The prevalence, risk factors, and prevention opportunities of hepatitis A, B, C and HIV infection was studied in injecting drug users (IDUs) in comparison with non-injecting drug users (n-IDUs) in Uppsala County, Sweden.

The seroprevalence among IDUs were 0.7% for HIV, 19% for HAV, 26% for HBV and 63% for HCV. For hepatitis C, the seroprevalence was directly related to the number of years of injections. No cases of HIV were found among the n- IDUs and the seroprevalence rate was significantly lower for HBV and HCV, 6 and 2%, respectively. In contrast, the anti- HAV antibody seroprevalence was not significantly different between n-IDUs and IDUs (27% vs 19%, p< ns). There was no difference in vaccination uptake among IDUs compared with n-IDUs.

Hepatitis A and B vaccination should be considered as one component of a comprehensive programme including counselling, support and education of blood-borne infections associated with drug use.