HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B infections and associated risk behavior in injection drug users, Kabul, Afghanistan

Limited prevalence data for HIV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) exist for Afghanistan. We studied a cross-sectional sample of adult injection drug users (IDUs) in Kabul, Afghanistan, from June 2005 through June 2006. Study participants completed interviewer-administ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emerging infectious diseases 2007-09, Vol.13 (9), p.1327-1331
Main Authors: Todd, Catherine S, Abed, Abdullah M S, Strathdee, Steffanie A, Scott, Paul T, Botros, Boulos A, Safi, Naqibullah, Earhart, Kenneth C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Afghanistan
Afghanistan - epidemiology
Behavior
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Health aspects
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B - complications
Hepatitis B - epidemiology
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C - complications
Hepatitis C - epidemiology
Hepatitis C virus
HIV
HIV (Viruses)
HIV Infections - complications
HIV Infections - epidemiology
HIV testing
Homosexuality, Male
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
injection drug users
Male
Needle Sharing
Prevalence studies (Epidemiology)
Risk Factors
Sex Work
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - complications
Surveys
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Summary:Limited prevalence data for HIV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) exist for Afghanistan. We studied a cross-sectional sample of adult injection drug users (IDUs) in Kabul, Afghanistan, from June 2005 through June 2006. Study participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires and underwent testing for HIV, antibody to HCV, and HBsAg. Overall prevalences of HIV, HCV, and HBsAg were 3.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7%-5.1%), 36.6% (95% CI 32.2%-41.0%), and 6.5% (95% CI 4.2%-8.7%), respectively (N = 464). Among male IDUs (n = 463), risky behavior, including sharing syringes (50.4%), paying women for sex (76.2%), and having sex with men or boys (28.3%), were common. Needle sharing, injecting for > or = 3 years, and receiving injections from nonmedical providers were independently associated with increased risk for HCV infection. The high prevalence of risky behavior indicate that Kabul is at risk for an HIV epidemic. Scale-up of harm-reducing interventions is urgently needed.
ISSN:1080-6040
1080-6059
DOI:10.3201/eid1309.070036