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HIV and HCV infection among drug users in Japan
Author(s) -
Wada Kiyoshi,
Greberman Sharyn Bowman,
Konuma Kyohei,
Hirai Shinji
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1999.947106311.x
Subject(s) - medicine , seroprevalence , hepatitis c , syringe , seroconversion , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , antibody , immunology , psychiatry , serology
Aims. To assess seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus, injecting drug use, unsafe sexual behaviours, self‐mutilation and tattoos in patients attending a drug and alcohol treatment centre in Japan. Design. Cross‐sectional survey. Setting. The work was carried out at the National Sanitarium of Shimousa, Chiba, Japan, a 32‐bed inpatient centre specializing in drug and alcohol treatment. Measurements. Laboratory analyses for HIV antibody, hepatitis C antibody, hepatitis B antigen and antibody; questionnaires for history of sexual activities, needle and syringe use; physical examination with assessment of self‐amputated finger joints, tattoos, scars from lacerations and cigarette burns. Findings. No patients tested positive for anti‐HIV. The seroprevalence of anti‐HCV positives was 53.8% of methamphetamine‐dependent patients, 18.4% of solvent‐dependent patients and 5.6% of alcohol‐dependent patients. Past needle sharing was reported by 82.1% of methamphetamine‐dependent patients, 18.4% of solvent‐dependent patients and 5.6% of alcohol‐dependent patients. A history of syringe sharing was reported by 87.2% of methamphetamine‐dependent patients. More than two‐thirds of all patients reported contact with commercial sex workers. Casual sexual contacts were more common among solvent and methamphetamine‐dependent patients than those dependent on alcohol. Tattoos and cigarette burns were more common among methamphetamine and solvent‐dependent patients than among alcohol‐dependent patients. Among the methamphetamine‐dependent patients, 20.5% reported self‐amputated finger joints compared with none in the other patient groups. Conclusions. HCV prevalence is a significant problem among methamphetamine users in Japan, probably because of a high rate of needle and/or syringe sharing. Although HIV infection is currently negligible, the very high rate of needle and syringe sharing could give rise to a significant increase in the HIV rate among drug users in the future.