Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B, C and G virus infections among injecting drug users on methadone maintenance treatment in Maribor

• Published in: Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 2004, Vol.116 Suppl 2, p.5
• Main Authors: Baklan, Zvonko, Gorisek, Jelka Rebersek, Poljak, Mario, Pisec, Andrej
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Flaviviridae Infections - epidemiology; GB virus C; Hepatitis B - diagnosis; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - diagnosis; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - epidemiology; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Humans; Male; Methadone - therapeutic use; Narcotics - therapeutic use; Sex Factors; Slovenia - epidemiology; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - complications; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - drug therapy; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0043-5325

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and hepatitis B, C, and G virus infections was determined in a selected group of 40 intravenous drug addicts on methadone maintenance treatment. No drug addict was infected with HIV. Seven drug addicts (17.5%) had serologic markers of hepatitis B infection but only one among them (2.5%) exhibited signs of active infection. 16 drug addicts (40%) had serologic markers of hepatitis C infection and 13 (32.5%) of them had an active infection with positive viral tests. 22 addicts (55%) had signs of hepatitis G infection, 9 (22.5%) of them had signs of active infection and 13 (32.5%) had signs of past infection. Addicts infected with the hepatitis B and C viruses were older and had also been taking drugs longer than those who were not infected with these two viruses. The proportion of those susceptible to infection with hepatitis B (70%) is high, reflecting a low prevalence of this disease and at the same time revealing the failure of preventive measures and the unacceptably low vaccination rate.