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. 2001 Jan;91(1):42–46. doi: 10.2105/ajph.91.1.42

Sharing of drug preparation equipment as a risk factor for hepatitis C.

H Hagan 1, H Thiede 1, N S Weiss 1, S G Hopkins 1, J S Duchin 1, E R Alexander 1
PMCID: PMC1446500  PMID: 11189822

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the sharing of drug preparation equipment as a possible route of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission. METHODS: HCV seroconversion was measured in a cohort of 317 injection drug users who tested negative for HCV antibody at recruitment. RESULTS: Cumulative HCV incidence was 16.7% per year. Among those who did not share syringes, HCV seroconversion was associated with sharing drug cookers and filtration cotton (adjusted risk ratio = 5.9; 95% confidence interval = 1.1, 31.7); 54% of HCV infections in injection drug users who did not share syringes were attributable to cooker/cotton sharing. CONCLUSIONS: Among injection drug users who do not share syringes, an important proportion of HCV infections may be attributed to cooker/cotton sharing.

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Selected References

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