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Evidence for a substantial role of sharing of injecting paraphernalia other than syringes/needles to the spread of hepatitis C among injecting drug users
Author(s) -
Mathei C.,
Shkedy Z.,
Denis B.,
Kabali C.,
Aerts M.,
Molenberghs G.,
Van Damme P.,
Buntinx F.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00725.x
Subject(s) - paraphernalia , needle sharing , transmission (telecommunications) , medicine , drug , hepatitis b , hepatitis , environmental health , hepatitis c , virology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , geography , pharmacology , telecommunications , syphilis , computer science , condom , archaeology
Summary. In industrialized countries, transmission of hepatitis C occurs primarily through injecting drug use. Transmission of hepatitis C in injecting drug users is mainly associated with the sharing of contaminated syringes/needles, although evidence for risk of hepatitis C infection through sharing of other injecting paraphernalia is increasing. In this paper, the independent effects of sharing paraphernalia other than syringes/needles have been estimated. The prevalence and force of infection were modelled using three serological data sets from drug users in three centres in Belgium as a function of the sharing behaviour. It was found that sharing of materials other than syringes/needles indeed seemed to contribute substantially to the spread of hepatitis C among injecting drug users.