Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106468

Ekaterine Shapatava, Department of Behavioral Sciences and health Education, Emory University, 896 Los Angeles Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306, 404 309 7707, eshapat@sph.emory.edu, Carlos Del Rio, MD, Emory University School of Medicine, 69 Butler Street, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303, Kenrad Nelson, MD, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, and Tengiz Tsertsvadze, 1Georgian Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia, 16 Al. Kazbegi Ave, Tbilisi, 380060, Georgia.

Objectives: To study risk behaviors for the transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and viral hepatitis among injection drug users (IDU) in Georgia. Methods: Between 2000-2001 we studied 583 IDUs recruited from three major cities in Georgia. Structured questionnaires were administered and serum tested for antibodies to HIV, hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). Results: Among the cohort of IDUs studied 68.8% were positive for HCV, 55.2% to HBV and 1.7% were HIV-infected. The most frequently used drug was heroin (68.1%), followed by homemade drugs in 31.6% and opium in 9.8%. On multivariable analysis, infection with HCV and HBV was associated with unsafe cleaning practices of injection paraphernalia. However, these drug-related risk behaviors were not significantly associated with HIV infection. Sexual risk factors were significantly associated with HIV infection but not with HCV infection. Discussion: Our data suggests that there is significant drug and needle sharing among IDUs in Georgia and that these risk behaviors are associated with a high prevalence of HBV and HCV infection. However, the seroprevalence for HIV is relatively low and its transmission dynamics appear to suggest that this infection is more closely associated with risky sexual behavior rather than drug using behaviors.

Learning Objectives: The participant in this session will be able to identify

• Major unsafe injection drug use behavior.
• Level of risk by type of drugs
• Differences between sexual and parenteral transmission of HIV and hepatitis

Keywords: Developing Countries, Injecting Drug Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.