Hepatitis C prevalence among Australian injecting drug users in the 1970s and profiles of virus genotypes in the 1970s and 1990s

Objectives To examine the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Australian injecting drug‐using community in the 1970s, and to compare the profile of HCV genotypes with that seen in the 1990s. Design Investigation of stored sera that were collected from injecting drug users in the 1970s a...

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Published in:	Medical journal of Australia Vol. 172; no. 12; pp. 588 - 591
Main Authors:	Freeman, Anthony J, Harvey, Charles E, Marinos, George, Zekry, Amany, Boughton, Clement R, Lloyd, Andrew R, Whybin, L Ross, Kantzow, Sophie L, Rawlinson, William D, Robertson, Peter W, Beek, Ingrid A
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Sydney Australasian Medical Publishing Company 19-06-2000
Subjects:	Adult Australia - epidemiology Biological and medical sciences Diseases Drug abuse Female Genotype Hepacivirus - classification Hepacivirus - genetics Hepacivirus - immunology Hepatitis C - epidemiology Hepatitis C - virology Hepatitis C Antibodies - analysis Human viral diseases Humans Infectious diseases Male Medical sciences Prevalence Public health Risk Factors Seroepidemiologic Studies Serotyping Statistics Substance Abuse, Intravenous - virology Surveys Viral diseases Viral hepatitis Australia Oceania Human Immunopathology Drug addiction Statistical analysis Prevalence Hepatic disease Genotype Serology Injection Infection Toxicology Viral disease Risk factor Digestive diseases Comparative study Viral hepatitis C
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Summary:	Objectives To examine the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Australian injecting drug‐using community in the 1970s, and to compare the profile of HCV genotypes with that seen in the 1990s. Design Investigation of stored sera that were collected from injecting drug users in the 1970s and comparison with sera collected in the 1990s. Setting Inner Sydney, 1974‐1975 and 1994‐1996. Patients The 1970s group comprised 141 consecutive injecting drug users who attended the Brisbane Street Methadone Clinic. The 1990s group comprised 88 consecutive, injecting drug users of European origin who were HCV antibody‐ positive and attended a primary healthcare facility (the Kirketon Road Centre). Main outcome measures HCV antibody prevalence (1970s); profile of HCV serotypes (1970s and 1990s); and serological evidence of hepatitis A and B. Results 84% of the 1970s group were HCV antibody‐positive, of whom 92% were infected with HCV serotype 1 and 1% with serotype 3. In contrast, in the 1990s group, 69% were infected with HCV serotype 1 and 25% with serotype 3. The HCV‐positive subjects from the early group were more likely than those from the recent group to have serological evidence of previous HBV infection. Conclusions The high prevalence of HCV among injecting drug users in the 1970s in Australia confirms an epidemic that has been present for at least 25 years. Over this period, the proportion of HCV genotype 1 infections has decreased and genotype 3 infections have emerged.
Bibliography:	Medical Journal of Australia, v.172, no.12, 19 June 2000: 588-591
ISSN:	0025-729X 1326-5377
DOI:	10.5694/j.1326-5377.2000.tb124124.x