       Document 0056
 DOCN  M9640056
 TI    Hepatitis C virus infection in Italian intravenous drug users:
       epidemiological and clinical aspects.
 DT    9604
 AU    Galeazzi B; Tufano A; Barbierato E; Bortolotti F; Servizio
       Tossicodipendenze (Ser.T.), Bassano Hospital, Italy.
 SO    Liver. 1995 Aug;15(4):209-12. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96064257
 AB    The epidemological and clinical features of hepatitis C virus infection
       have been evaluated in a cohort of 227 intravenous drug users enrolled
       at a drug dependence treatment center in the Veneto area in 1992-1993
       and followed periodically. Hepatitis C virus infection was detected
       using second-generation anti-HCV ELISA in 171 (75%) subjects at
       enrollment. Anti-HCV seropositivity correlated with: a) the duration of
       drug abuse: 91% of intravenous drug users injecting for more than 8
       years were seropositive as compared to 40% of those with a history of
       abuse lasting 4 years or less, p < 0.001; b) sharing of injection
       equipment: 85% anti-HCV positive intravenous drug users had shared at
       some time as compared to 64% seronegative subjects, p < 0.001; c)
       seropositivity for immunodeficiency virus infection: 25% anti-HCV
       positive intravenous drug users were coinfected as compared to 3.5%
       anti-HCV negative, p < 0.001; d) markers of ongoing (two cases) or
       previous hepatitis B virus infection were detected in 62% of anti-HCV
       positive but in 21% of anti-HCV negative cases, p < 0.01. Two initially
       anti-HCV negative intravenous drug users seroconverted during follow up
       giving an incidence rate of hepatitis C virus infection of 6.2 per 100
       person-years. During the survey abnormal alanine aminotransferase levels
       were detected in 75% anti-HCV positive but in 24% anti-HCV negative
       cases (p < 0.001), with significantly higher levels in the former. These
       findings suggest that the circulation of hepatitis C virus among
       intravenous drug users has been decreasing in recent years, although new
       infections still occur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 DE    Adult  Alanine Aminotransferase/BLOOD  Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
       Female  Hepatitis C/*COMPLICATIONS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Hepatitis C
       Antibodies/BLOOD  Human  Italy  Male  Prospective Studies  Substance
       Abuse, Intravenous/*COMPLICATIONS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Time Factors  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

