Omar Silverman-Retana1, Edson Serván-Mori2, Sandra I McCoy3, Sarah Larney4, Sergio Bautista-Arredondo5. 1. Center for Health System Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico, Universidad No. 655 Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada Los Pinos y Caminera C.P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México; Aarhus University, Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Building 1260, Batholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhuc C, Denmark. Electronic address: omar.silverman@insp.mx. 2. Center for Health System Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico, Universidad No. 655 Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada Los Pinos y Caminera C.P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. Electronic address: eservan@insp.mx. 3. Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley 779 University Hall, MC 7360, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. Electronic address: smccoy@berkeley.edu. 4. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales. Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: s.larney@unsw.edu.au. 5. Center for Health System Research, National Institute of Public Health, Mexico, Universidad No. 655 Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada Los Pinos y Caminera C.P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. Electronic address: sbautista@insp.mx.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent among prisoners and this prevalence estimates reach 64% among prisoners who inject illicit drugs. Prisons are important sites for HCV transmission in the absence of access to sterile injecting equipment; hence, it can be transmitted between prisoners who share contaminated needles and syringes. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of risk factors for anti-HCV prevalence, with particular interest on injecting behavior, and to assess correlates of anti-HCV positivity among Mexico City prisoners. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on information -collected in three male and two female prisons in Mexico City during 2010-2011- about sexually transmitted infections, socio-demographics, criminal history, substance use, vitamin injection, tattooing, among others (n=3,910). Weighted multivariable adjusted logistic regression models were estimated to assess the overall and differential odds for anti-HCV due to injecting behavior. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 3.3%. This figure rose to 43.1% among prisoners with a history of illicit drug injection. Prisoners with history of vitamin injection showed a similar prevalence of anti-HCV (43.8%). After stratifying by substance injected, the adjusted odds ratio was 9.8 (95% CI: 4.0, 23.8) for illicit drug injection and 11.9 (95% CI: 5.8, 23.8) for illicit drug and vitamin injection. CONCLUSION: Based on data from the most populous prisons in Mexico City, this study showed that anti-HCV is highly prevalent among prisoners with history of injecting behavior. In this sense, injecting behavior per-se, independent of the substance used, is associated with increased odds of anti-HCV positivity.
BACKGROUND:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent among prisoners and this prevalence estimates reach 64% among prisoners who inject illicit drugs. Prisons are important sites for HCV transmission in the absence of access to sterile injecting equipment; hence, it can be transmitted between prisoners who share contaminated needles and syringes. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of risk factors for anti-HCV prevalence, with particular interest on injecting behavior, and to assess correlates of anti-HCV positivity among Mexico City prisoners. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on information -collected in three male and two female prisons in Mexico City during 2010-2011- about sexually transmitted infections, socio-demographics, criminal history, substance use, vitamin injection, tattooing, among others (n=3,910). Weighted multivariable adjusted logistic regression models were estimated to assess the overall and differential odds for anti-HCV due to injecting behavior. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 3.3%. This figure rose to 43.1% among prisoners with a history of illicit drug injection. Prisoners with history of vitamin injection showed a similar prevalence of anti-HCV (43.8%). After stratifying by substance injected, the adjusted odds ratio was 9.8 (95% CI: 4.0, 23.8) for illicit drug injection and 11.9 (95% CI: 5.8, 23.8) for illicit drug and vitamin injection. CONCLUSION: Based on data from the most populous prisons in Mexico City, this study showed that anti-HCV is highly prevalent among prisoners with history of injecting behavior. In this sense, injecting behavior per-se, independent of the substance used, is associated with increased odds of anti-HCV positivity.