International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 18, Number 1 > Pp. 23-27

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Original research articles

High hepatitis C virus prevalence and incidence among Canadian intravenous drug users

É Roy, M Alary, C Morissette, P Leclerc, J-F Boudreau, R Parent, J Rochefort, C Claessens and The SurvUDI Working Group

Direction de santé publique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Joint Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal and Québec City, Québec, Canada; Programme de toxicomanie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal and Québec City, Québec, Canada; Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada; Direction de santé publique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal and Québec City, Québec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Direction de santé publique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Programme de toxicomanie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal and Québec City, Québec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal and Québec City, Québec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal and Québec City, Québec, Canada

We used data and leftover samples collected through the SurvUDI network to describe the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among injection drug users (IDUs) in Eastern Central Canada. Among the 1380 selected IDUs, having participated twice or more between 1997 and 2003, the overall HCV prevalence rate was 60.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 57.7–63.0%). Among the 543 initially uninfected participants, the HCV incidence rate was 27.1 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 23.4–30.9 per 100 person-years). Independent predictors of seroconversion, identified among 359 participants, were age, injecting for a year or less, injecting with a syringe previously used by someone else, injecting most often cocaine, engaging in prostitution, and being recruited in a major urban centre. The HCV epidemic severely affects IDUs in this area. Actions to prevent HCV transmission, such as distribution of sterile injection equipment, have to be reinforced. Special efforts have to be targeted towards starting IDUs.

Key Words: HEPATITIS C • INJECTION DRUG USERS • PREVALENCE • INCIDENCE

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