BACKGROUND: Up to 17,000 persons in the USA became infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 2007, and many cases have unknown transmission routes. To date research on transmission of HCV via shared implements used to snort or smoke non-injection drugs has been inconclusive. METHODS: We tested stored sera for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) in a large population-based study of homeless and marginally housed persons in San Francisco. We examined the association between sharing implements used for snorting and smoking drugs and anti-HCV while controlling for sociodemographic variables in those who denied ever injecting drugs (n = 430). We also examined the association of anti-HCV status with history of incarceration, tattoo and piercing history, sexual history and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of our sample was anti-HCV positive. We found no statistically significant associations with sharing implements used to smoke or snort drugs with anti-HCV status in our various multivariate models. There was a statistically significant negative association between ever snorting cocaine and anti-HCV status (adjusted odds ratio: 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.73). There were no other statistically significant associations with any other measured covariates in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that sharing implements to snort or smoke drugs is not a significant risk factor for anti-HCV-positive status.
BACKGROUND: Up to 17,000 persons in the USA became infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 2007, and many cases have unknown transmission routes. To date research on transmission of HCV via shared implements used to snort or smoke non-injection drugs has been inconclusive. METHODS: We tested stored sera for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) in a large population-based study of homeless and marginally housed persons in San Francisco. We examined the association between sharing implements used for snorting and smoking drugs and anti-HCV while controlling for sociodemographic variables in those who denied ever injecting drugs (n = 430). We also examined the association of anti-HCV status with history of incarceration, tattoo and piercing history, sexual history and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of our sample was anti-HCV positive. We found no statistically significant associations with sharing implements used to smoke or snort drugs with anti-HCV status in our various multivariate models. There was a statistically significant negative association between ever snorting cocaine and anti-HCV status (adjusted odds ratio: 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.21-0.73). There were no other statistically significant associations with any other measured covariates in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that sharing implements to snort or smoke drugs is not a significant risk factor for anti-HCV-positive status.
Authors: E L Murphy; S M Bryzman; S A Glynn; D I Ameti; R A Thomson; A E Williams; C C Nass; H E Ownby; G B Schreiber; F Kong; K R Neal; G J Nemo Journal: Hepatology Date: 2000-03 Impact factor: 17.425
Authors: A L Silverman; J S Sekhon; S J Saginaw; D Wiedbrauk; M Balasubramaniam; S C Gordon Journal: Am J Gastroenterol Date: 2000-05 Impact factor: 10.864
Authors: Anouk T Urbanus; Thijs J van de Laar; Ineke G Stolte; Janke Schinkel; Titia Heijman; Roel A Coutinho; Maria Prins Journal: AIDS Date: 2009-07-31 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Axel J Schmidt; Jürgen K Rockstroh; Martin Vogel; Matthias An der Heiden; Armin Baillot; Ivanka Krznaric; Doris Radun Journal: PLoS One Date: 2011-03-08 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Rebecca K Stern; Holly Hagan; Corina Lelutiu-Weinberger; Don Des Jarlais; Roberta Scheinmann; Shiela Strauss; Enrique R Pouget; Peter Flom Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2008-09-14 Impact factor: 4.615