Relationship between characteristics of drug using in female drug users and double infection of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus

Chun LIU; Minzhu HUANG; Lan GUAN; Hao LIU

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Drug use is the most significant risk factor for viral hepatitis B and C infection. Female drug users present different drug-using characteristics from the other sex. And what about the influence of these characteristics on hepatitis B and C virus(HBV and HCV) double infection?

OBJECTIVE:

To explore the relationship of characteristics of drug using in female drug users on the incidence of HBV and HCV double infection.

DESIGN:

It is a cross section investigation of female drug users in January 2002.

SETTING:

A laboratory separtment, an epidemiological department in a university and a drug dependency treatment unit.

PARTICIPANTS:

A total of 320 female drug users who were in Baimalongdrug dependency treatment unit in Zhuzhou city were recruited in this study.

METHODS:

The drug-using characteristics were investigated through a questionnaire and the surface antigen of HBV(HBsAg) and antibody against HCV(anti-HCV)in serum were checked with ELISA.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Relationship between HBV and HCV infection and injection of drug, injecting career and abstaining history.

RESULTS:

The incidence of HBV and HCV double infection in the 320 female drug users was 9. 37%. All of those with double infection were injection drug users, which was different from non-injection drug users(x2 = 6. 276,P ＜ 0. 05 ) . Longer career of drug-using meant higher possibility of double infection. The incidence of double infection (10. 3% ) in those of 5 - 10 years of drug-using career was higher than that (4.5%) of 1 - 5 years of drug-using career (x2 = 8. 344, P ＜ 0.05) . And that in those experienced more than 4times of abstaining was also higher than that less than in those experienced 3times (x2 =9. 418, P ＜ 0. 05) . Long career of drug using and repeated abstention abstaining were factors that leaded to HBV and HCV double infection (OR = 1. 923, 1. 597, 95% CI = 0. 964 - 3. 838, 0. 962 -2. 652).

CONCLUSION:

Injection drug use is the predominant factor that causes double infection of HBV and HCV and long career of drug using and rising in the number of times of abstaining also increase the double infection.