Association between heroin use, needle sharing and tattoos received in prison with hepatitis B and C positivity among street-recruited injecting drug users in New Mexico, USA

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection 2001-12, Vol.127 (3), p.475-484
• Main Authors: SAMUEL, M. C., DOHERTY, P. M., BULTERYS, M., JENISON, S. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - isolation & purification; Antifungal agents; Antivirals; Biological and medical sciences; Counseling; Drug use; Ethnicity; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Harm reduction; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B - etiology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - etiology; Heroin; Hispanic people; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Injections; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Needle Sharing; New Mexico - epidemiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Predisposing factors; Prevalence; Prisoners; Prisons; Public health; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Tattooing; Tattooing - adverse effects; Tattoos; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Viral infections; Viruses
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268801006197

This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV-1 infections among injecting drug users (IDU) in New Mexico. Serological and behavioural surveys were conducted in conjunction with street-based outreach, education and HIV counselling and testing. High rates of antibody positivity for HCV (82·2%) and HBV (61·1%), and a low rate for HIV (0·5%) were found. In multivariate analyses, both HBV and HCV infection were positively associated with increasing age, increasing years of injection and heroin use. Receipt of a tattoo in prison/jail was associated with HBV (odds ratio = 2·3, 95% confidence interval 1·4, 3·8) and HCV (OR = 3·4, 95% CI = 1·6, 7·5) infections. Prevention of bloodborne pathogens among IDUs should focus on young users, early in their drug use experience. Studies examining the relationship between tattooing and HBV and HCV infection are needed as are efforts to promote sterile tattooing, in prisons and elsewhere.