ABSTRACT
The prevalence of HBV, HDV and HIV infection was studied in 288 imprisoned intravenous drug addicts (IVDA) and 329 controls. Commercially available radioimmunoassays for the detection of HBV and HDV serologic markers and enzyme-immunoassays for IgM anti-HBc and anti-HIV were used. Anti-HIV positive results were confirmed by Western Blot. The prevalence of HBV serologic markers among IVDA (77.1%) was found considerably higher than among controls (22.5%). An increased prevalence of HBsAg carriers (6.9%) and anti-HBc alone positives (9.7%) was also found. IVDA carriers were more frequently HBeAg positive (25.0%) and HDV serologic markers were detected in 35.0% (7/20) of them. Anti-HIV were detected in 6 (2.1%) IVDA but in none control. These data show the widespread HBV and HDV infections among Greek IVDA and suggest the need for continuation of the initiated hepatitis B vaccination program. Anti-HIV prevalence is yet low. However there is urgent need for an extensive campaign to limit the further spread of the HIV among this high risk group.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology , Hepatitis B/epidemiology , Hepatitis D/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/complications , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/immunology , Adolescent , Adult , Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Female , Greece , HIV/immunology , HIV Antibodies , Hepatitis Antibodies/immunology , Hepatitis B/complications , Hepatitis B/immunology , Hepatitis B Antibodies/analysis , Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/analysis , Hepatitis D/complications , Hepatitis D/immunology , Hepatitis Delta Virus/immunology , Humans , Injections, Intravenous , Male , Middle Aged , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiologySubject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology , Hepatitis B/epidemiology , Hepatitis D/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/complications , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Carrier State/epidemiology , Greece , Hepatitis B/complications , Hepatitis D/complications , HumansABSTRACT
Serum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and HBV DNA are indicators of active replication of HBV, whereas IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc) may indicate an active immune response to chronic HBV infection. Fifty-eight carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) who had frequent parenteral exposures were studied for the presence of HBeAg, HBV DNA, IgM anti-HBc and hepatitis delta virus (HDV) serologic markers. Active replication of HBV was detected in 36.2% (25% of drug addicts, 16.7% of thalassemia patients, and 46.9% of hemodialysis patients) and seropositivity for IgM anti-HBc in 55.2% of the HBsAg carriers. Among the 39 HBsAg carriers who were negative for HBeAg, IgM anti-HBc was detected significantly more frequently than HBV DNA (46.1% vs. 5.1%, p less than 0.001). Serologic evidence of HDV infection was detected in 35% of drug addicts, 50% of thalassemia patients and in 9.4% of hemodialysis patients. These data revealed that continued replication of HBV was more frequent in hemodialysis patients than in drug addicts and thalassemia patients who are HBsAg carriers and the opposite was true for the prevalence of HDV infection.
