HCV and HIV Infection among Heroin Abusers in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program

Yi-Chieh Lee,Ming-Der Shi,Jian-Kang Chao,Mi-Chia Ma,I-Chen Chao

doi:10.4236/health.2016.812124

Abstract

Over the years, it was getting attention to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immu-nodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among injected drug users (IDUs) in Taiwan. This study investigated the frequency of risky behaviors for HCV carriers and IDUs who were HIV carriers in methadone maintenance treatment program. The subjects, intravenously injected heroin abusers, were collected from a special methadone maintenance treatment clinic. The survey included characteristics of participants, sexual activity and attitude towards condom usage. The total number of subjects was 151. Data were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS 15.0. The analytical methods included descriptive analysis, Fisher’s exact test, and the logistic regression model. The study showed that 82% of intravenously injected heroin abusers were hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive, and 44.4% were hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive; 89.5% of HIV-positive heroin abusers were type C hepatitis positive. Only 21.2% of these intra-venously injected heroin abusers always used a condom, and 39.7% never used a condom during sexual activity. Logistic regression analysis showed smoking, sharing syringes needles, HBV status and condom use status were four main risk factors on HIV infection. Sharing or using contaminated syringes needles was the main cause of HIV, HBV, and HCV infection in the drug addiction group. Since our government has the policy of providing a methadone maintenance treatment program, the spread of HIV is under control, but knowledge about HIV and safe sex education still needs improvement.

Highlights

Opioid abuse is a complex problem, and impacts the affected person’s physical and psychological health, and threatens public security and the level of productivity in society
This study investigated the frequency of risky behaviors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers and injected drug users (IDUs) who were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) carriers in methadone maintenance treatment program
Most of the participants who came to the maintenance treatment program (MMTP) clinic were male (88%), most had an educational level below junior high school, and among them, 54% were unemployed and near one quarter were without a sex partner

Summary

Introduction

Opioid abuse is a complex problem, and impacts the affected person’s physical and psychological health, and threatens public security and the level of productivity in society. HIV infection has spread expansively in Taiwan. The first HIV case in Taiwan was reported in 1984. As of the end of 2013, the total number of HIV cases had been accumulated to 26,475. The number of HIV infections among the injecting drug users (IDUs) began to surge since 2003 and consistently decreased since Taiwan CDC harm reduction programs [1]. As the drug addiction problem grows, so does the rate of HIV infection. HIV infection may be transmitted by sharing needles or sharing the containers used for mixing that contain the drug. Some studies have shown that patients addicted to opium have more health problems, and that IDUs will suffer from a decrease in life quality and an increased rate of death [2]-[4]

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