Abstract

OLIVEIRA, Maria de Lourdes Aguiar et al. The first drug injection and hepatitis C: preliminary findings. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2005, vol.14, n.4, pp.235-237. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742005000400004.

The study investigated the context of first drug injection, and its possible relationship with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection. Injection drug users (IDUs) - N=606 - were recruited in "drug scenes" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After signing informed consent, individuals were interviewed and tested for HCV infection. Previous non-injectable use of the same drug (basically cocaine) was reported by 92.0% of IDUs, who currently inject it on a weekly/daily basis (86.2%). In 51.7% of subjects, the first injector was a friend, and use of a dirty syringe/needle was reported by 51.5%. Drug was obtained as a "gift" in 40.0% of cases. More experienced IDUs (68.0%) introduced others to injections: 88.1% reported initiation of from 1 to 5 persons. HCV infection was significantly less prevalent among subjects who started injecting after 1980. To effectively curb HCV spread in this population, prevention strategies need to be tailored to distinct scenarios, including social networks and generations of IDUs beginning with the very first injection

Keywords : hepatitis C; injection drug use; first shot.

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