Abstract:

Research conducted as part of the Risk Activity Variables, Epidemiology, and Network Study of intravenous drug users involved in a Seattle-King County, Wash., needle-exchange program indicates that the program was not effective in reducing hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) among the users. The authors of the study note that, while uncontrolled confounding or other bias may have obscured a beneficial impact, the study of 187 HCV-seronegative and 460 HBV-seronegative IDUs did not suggest such an effect. The participants were enrolled in the study between June 1994 and January 1996 and followed for seroconversion one year later. At follow up, there were 39 HCV infections and 46 HBV infections, the researchers report.