Reyes Juan C, Colón Héctor M, Robles Rafael R, Rios Eddy, Matos Tomás D, Negrón Juan, Marrero Carmen Amalia, Calderón José M, Shepard Elizabeth
Center for Addiction Studies, Institute of Addiction, Universidad Central del Caribe, PO Box 60327, Bayamón, 00960, Puerto Rico.
J Urban Health. 2006 Nov;83(6):1105-13. doi: 10.1007/s11524-006-9109-7.
Throughout the world, injection drug users (IDUs) are the group at highest risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. IDUs residing in the island of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican IDUs residing in the U.S. mainland have been shown to be at very high risk of infection with HIV. However, the extent to which HCV infection has spread among IDUs in Puerto Rico is not yet known. The aims of this study were to estimate seroprevalence of HCV and to identify the correlates associated with HCV transmission. The sample was drawn through street outreach strategies and was comprised of 400 injection drug users not in treatment, living in the San Juan metropolitan area. HCV and HIV infection were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the results were confirmed by Western blot. Information on sociodemographics, drug use patterns, and risk behaviors was obtained through structured interviews. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess covariates of infection with HCV. The prevalence of HCV infection was 89%. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, HCV infection was positively associated with increasing years of injection, injecting in a shooting gallery, tattooing in prison, and self-reported STD infection. Notably, IDUs who had initiated drug injection within the year prior to the study interview had an HCV infection rate of 57%. This study indicates that more aggressive educational programs are urgently needed to reduce the spread of HCV infection among IDUs in Puerto Rico.
在全球范围内，注射吸毒者是感染丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）风险最高的群体。居住在波多黎各岛的注射吸毒者以及居住在美国本土的波多黎各注射吸毒者已被证明感染艾滋病毒的风险非常高。然而，HCV感染在波多黎各注射吸毒者中的传播程度尚不清楚。本研究的目的是估计HCV的血清流行率，并确定与HCV传播相关的因素。样本通过街头外展策略抽取，由400名未接受治疗、居住在圣胡安都会区的注射吸毒者组成。通过酶联免疫吸附测定法检测HCV和HIV感染情况，结果通过免疫印迹法进行确认。通过结构化访谈获取社会人口统计学、吸毒模式和风险行为等方面的信息。采用双变量分析和多变量逻辑回归来评估HCV感染的协变量。HCV感染的患病率为89%。在控制了社会人口统计学特征后，HCV感染与注射年限增加、在射击馆注射、在监狱纹身以及自我报告的性传播感染呈正相关。值得注意的是，在研究访谈前一年内开始注射毒品的注射吸毒者的HCV感染率为57%。这项研究表明，迫切需要开展更积极的教育项目，以减少HCV感染在波多黎各注射吸毒者中的传播。
