Estimated global hepatitis B and C virus infection rates among injection drug users

[Guest guest]

CDC 07-28-11

GLOBAL: " 10 Million Illegal Drug Users Have Hepatitis C: Study "

Agence France Presse (07.27.11)

The first study to estimate global hepatitis B and C virus infection rates among

injection drug users (IDUs) finds fully two-thirds have been exposed to HCV,

while HBV rates vary from country to country.

Australian researchers examined HCV data from 77 countries and HBV data from 59

countries. The HCV infection rate among IDUs ranged from 60 percent to 80

percent in 25 countries, including Spain (80 percent), Norway (76 percent),

Germany (75 percent), France (74 percent), the United States (73 percent), China

(67 percent), and Canada (64 percent). Twelve nations had infection rates higher

than 80 percent, including Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Pakistan, and

Thailand. In Mexico, 97 percent of IDUs were HCV-infected.

Approximately 80 percent of HCV infections among these IDUs will become chronic,

and up to 11 percent will develop cirrhosis within two decades. The health and

economic costs of IDU-spread HCV may be as high as or higher than for similarly

transmitted HIV cases, the authors said.

HBV rates among IDUs ranged from 5 percent to 10 percent in 21 countries, and

exceeded 10 percent in 10 countries, including 12 percent for the United States.

Of the countries assessed, Vietnam had the highest rate (20 percent), followed

by Estonia (19 percent), Saudi Arabia (18 percent), and Taiwan (17 percent).

In total, some 10 million IDUs worldwide have HCV and 1.2 million have HBV.

HBV is the second most-important known cause of cancer, after tobacco. HBV

causes some 600,000 deaths annually, said the World Health Organization.

However, unlike HCV, a vaccine against HBV is available. “That is why universal

infant vaccination against hepatitis B is so crucial to long-term control of the

virus,” said Louisa Degenhardt of the Bernet Institute in Melbourne, and

of the University of New South Wales.

The researchers called on public health officials to increase blood-borne

hepatitis prevention efforts and to lower treatment costs.

The study, “Global Epidemiology of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in People Who

Inject Drugs: Results of Systematic Reviews,” was published early online in The

Lancet (2011;doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61097-0).

[Guest guest]

CDC 07-28-11

GLOBAL: " 10 Million Illegal Drug Users Have Hepatitis C: Study "

Agence France Presse (07.27.11)

The first study to estimate global hepatitis B and C virus infection rates among

injection drug users (IDUs) finds fully two-thirds have been exposed to HCV,

while HBV rates vary from country to country.

Australian researchers examined HCV data from 77 countries and HBV data from 59

countries. The HCV infection rate among IDUs ranged from 60 percent to 80

percent in 25 countries, including Spain (80 percent), Norway (76 percent),

Germany (75 percent), France (74 percent), the United States (73 percent), China

(67 percent), and Canada (64 percent). Twelve nations had infection rates higher

than 80 percent, including Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Pakistan, and

Thailand. In Mexico, 97 percent of IDUs were HCV-infected.

Approximately 80 percent of HCV infections among these IDUs will become chronic,

and up to 11 percent will develop cirrhosis within two decades. The health and

economic costs of IDU-spread HCV may be as high as or higher than for similarly

transmitted HIV cases, the authors said.

HBV rates among IDUs ranged from 5 percent to 10 percent in 21 countries, and

exceeded 10 percent in 10 countries, including 12 percent for the United States.

Of the countries assessed, Vietnam had the highest rate (20 percent), followed

by Estonia (19 percent), Saudi Arabia (18 percent), and Taiwan (17 percent).

In total, some 10 million IDUs worldwide have HCV and 1.2 million have HBV.

HBV is the second most-important known cause of cancer, after tobacco. HBV

causes some 600,000 deaths annually, said the World Health Organization.

However, unlike HCV, a vaccine against HBV is available. “That is why universal

infant vaccination against hepatitis B is so crucial to long-term control of the

virus,” said Louisa Degenhardt of the Bernet Institute in Melbourne, and

of the University of New South Wales.

The researchers called on public health officials to increase blood-borne

hepatitis prevention efforts and to lower treatment costs.

The study, “Global Epidemiology of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in People Who

Inject Drugs: Results of Systematic Reviews,” was published early online in The

Lancet (2011;doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61097-0).