ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is easily spread among those who share drug injection equipment. Due to the ease of contraction and growing prevalence of HCV in Eastern Europe, the aims of this study focused on describing risky injection practices as well as the prevalence of HCV, HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) who were admitted to public and private drug treatment centres in Turkey from 2012 to 2013. Other aims included identifying correlates of needle sharing and HCV infection. Of the 4694 inpatients who ever injected drugs and the 3914 who injected in the past 30 days, nearly all (98%) reported heroin as their drug of choice, the vast majority reported ever sharing a needle (73.4% and 79.3%), and the mean age at first injection was 23 years. Of current PWID, 51.9% were HCV-positive, 5.9% were HBV-positive and only 0.34% of lifetime PWID were HIV-positive. Predictors of increased needle sharing include younger age, being unemployed, having lesser education and reporting heroin as a drug of choice. Significant predictors of HCV infection included being 40 years or older, receiving treatment in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, reporting heroin as a primary substance, a longer duration of drug use and sharing needles. With this information, it is essential to improve access to clean injection equipment in Turkey, to focus on improving education on clean injection practices and to enhance efforts in testing and treating HCV-positive PWID.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis B/epidemiology , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Needle Sharing/adverse effects , Substance Abuse, Intravenous/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Europe, Eastern , Female , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Humans , Inpatients , Male , Mediterranean Region , Middle Aged , Turkey/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Isoniazid (INH) chemoprophylaxis has a positive impact on the development of clinical tuberculosis. Due to the increased prevalence of tuberculosis among HIV-infected individuals, we evaluated the effect of INH on the prevention of clinical tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients. We administered 300 mg of INH daily to 246 HIV-infected, tuberculin skin test-positive patients for 12 months. During 3 years of follow-up, 41 participants died and 94 were lost to follow up. Of the 111 patients followed for the 3 years, 12 developed tuberculosis which is lower than might be expected in an untreated group. INH prophylaxis appears to be an effective method to prevent clinical tuberculosis among HIV-infected, tuberculin skin test-positive patients.
Subject(s)
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/prevention & control , Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use , Isoniazid/therapeutic use , Prisoners , Tuberculosis/prevention & control , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/epidemiology , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/etiology , Adult , Chemoprevention/methods , Chemoprevention/standards , Humans , Incidence , Iran/epidemiology , Male , Prevalence , Prisoners/statistics & numerical data , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Skin Tests , Substance Abuse, Intravenous/complications , Treatment Outcome , Tuberculin , Tuberculosis/diagnosis , Tuberculosis/epidemiology , Tuberculosis/etiology , Urban Population/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
Thrombocytopenia is a blood dyscrasia common in AIDS patients that may result from increased viral load and diminished CD4 T lymphocytes. We evaluated the rate of thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100 000/microL) in 170 HIV-infected patients (161 males and 9 females) from May 2000-April 2001 in Kermanshah, Islamic Republic of Iran. All except 7 females were injecting drug users. While 34 patients had thrombocytopenia, 3 had severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 20 000/microL). Although prevalence was similar in various stages of HIV infection (18.5%-22.5%), severe thrombocytopenia was in patients with CD4 T cell count < 200 cells/microL. There were no other associated conditions. Mild thrombocytopenia is common in HIV-infected patients in our region.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/complications , Thrombocytopenia/epidemiology , Thrombocytopenia/virology , Adult , Age Distribution , Analysis of Variance , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , Disease Progression , Female , HIV Infections/blood , HIV Infections/immunology , Humans , Iran/epidemiology , Male , Platelet Count , Population Surveillance , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , Sex Distribution , Substance Abuse, Intravenous/complications , Substance Abuse, Intravenous/epidemiology , Thrombocytopenia/blood , Thrombocytopenia/diagnosis , Thrombocytopenia/therapy , Urban Population/statistics & numerical data , Viral LoadABSTRACT
Thrombocytopenia is a blood dyscrasia common in AIDS patients that may result from increased viral load and diminished CD4 T lymphocytes. We evaluated the rate of thrombocytopenia [platelet count < 100 000/microL] in 170 HIV-infected patients [161 males and 9 females] from May 2000-April 2001 in Kermanshah, Islamic Republic of Iran. All except 7 females were injecting drug users. While 34 patients had thrombocytopenia, 3 had severe thrombocytopenia [platelet count < 20 000/microL]. Although prevalence was similar in various stages of HIV infection [18.5%-22.5%], severe thrombocytopenia was in patients with CD4 T cell count < 200 cells/microL. There were no other associated conditions. Mild thrombocytopenia is common in HIV-infected patients in our region
Subject(s)
Age Distribution , Analysis of Variance , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , Disease Progression , Platelet Count , Severity of Illness Index , Sex Distribution , Substance Abuse, Intravenous , Thrombocytopenia , Viral Load , HIV InfectionsABSTRACT
Isoniazid [INH] chemoprophylaxis has a positive impact on the development of clinical tuberculosis. Due to the increased prevalence of tuberculosis among HIV-infected individuals, we evaluated the effect of INH on the prevention of clinical tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients. We administered 300 mg of INH daily to 246 HIV-infected, tuberculin skin test-positive patients for 12 months. During 3 years of follow-up, 41 participants died and 94 were lost to follow up. Of the 111 patients followed for the 3 years, 12 developed tuberculosis which is lower than might be expected in an untreated group. INH prophylaxis appears to be an effective method to prevent clinical tuberculosis among HIV-infected, tuberculin skin test-positive patients
