The prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV infections in non-IV drug opioid poisoned patients in Tehran-Iran.

The present study intends to look into the prevalence of these infections in the non-IVdrug abusing addicts whom were treated at our center. A pilot study was conducted on 20 patients who were admitted in poisoning center of Loghman-Hakim Hospital in Tehran due to non-IV drug overdose. One positive HIV antibody and one positive HBS antigen cases were found in this group. The pilot study was later expanded to a descriptive cross-sectional study on 214 patients. In this study 196 patients (91.6%) were male and 18 (8.4%) were female. The average age of subjects was 37.9, having the highest frequency between 20 to 30-years-old. The study showed that 14.48% (F = 31) had positive HCV antibody and 1.86% (F = 4) had positive HBS antigen and 1.4% (F = 3) had positive HIV antibody in their blood serum. One hundred and forty three patients (66.8%), were poisoned through oral opium consumption, 24 patients (11.2%) through inhalation and 18 (8.4%) both oral and inhalation. The remain; were IV-abuser or the manner of poisoning was unknown. This study signifies the need for heightened attention and preventive measures against the infection of the health care professionals by hepatitis C (HCV) virus.