Abstract
Injection drug use (IDU) is one of the most significant risk factors for viral hepatitis (B and C) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. This study assessed seroprevalence rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in people who inject drugs (PWID) in Kuwait. We conducted a cross-sectional study from April to September 2017. A total of 521 consecutive subjects, admitted at Al-Sabah Hospital. The serological and virological markers of HBV, HCV, and HIV were tested using automated platforms. The mean age of the participants was 32.26 yrs, and the sex ratio (Male/Female) was 15.28. The prevalence rates of HBsAg, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV antibodies were 0.38% (95% CI: 0.07–1.53%), 12.28% (95% CI: 9.65–15.48), and 0.77% (95% CI: 0.25–2.23%), respectively. HCV-RNA was evident in 51.72% (95% CI: 38.34–64.87%) among anti-HCV positive participants. Multivariate analysis showed that the high prevalence of HCV infection amongst PWID is associated with age. Whereas, multivariate analysis revealed no significant associations with age and gender regarding HIV and HBV infections. The results suggest that high rates of HBV, HCV, and HIV infections among injecting drug users than the general population. These findings emphasize the importance of introducing interventions and harm reduction initiatives that have a high impact on reducing needle sharing.
Highlights
The hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are a major global public health issue
A total of 521 people who inject drugs (PWID) were screened for HBV, HCV and HIV and during the study period
Drug using populations continue to demonstrate a significantly higher prevalence of blood-borne virus infections compared to the general population[5,6,7]
Summary
The hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are a major global public health issue. Recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported that 257 million persons live with chronic HBV infection, 71 million have chronic HCV infection and approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV1. No study has reported population-based estimates of HBV, HCV and HIV among PWID in Kuwait. This epidemiological information will add value in creating a national policy for government and policy-makers to allocate appropriate resources and strategically plan for HBV, HCV and HIV prevention interventions. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV as well as co- and triple-infection rates among PWID in Kuwait
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