1. An urgent need to scale-up injecting drug harm reduction services in Tanzania: prevalence of blood-borne viruses among drug users in Temeke District, Dar-es-Salaam, 2011.
- Author
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Bowring AL, Luhmann N, Pont S, Debaulieu C, Derozier S, Asouab F, Toufik A, van Gemert C, Dietze P, and Stoove M
- Subjects
- Adult, Drug Users psychology, Female, HIV Infections diagnosis, HIV Infections epidemiology, HIV Infections transmission, Health Behavior, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Health Surveys, Hepatitis C diagnosis, Hepatitis C epidemiology, Hepatitis C transmission, Humans, Male, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Substance Abuse, Intravenous epidemiology, Substance Abuse, Intravenous psychology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Tanzania epidemiology, Time Factors, Young Adult, Coinfection, Drug Users statistics & numerical data, HIV Infections prevention & control, Harm Reduction, Health Services Needs and Demand statistics & numerical data, Hepatitis C prevention & control, Primary Prevention statistics & numerical data, Substance Abuse, Intravenous prevention & control
- Abstract
Background: Injecting drug use (IDU) is a growing concern in Tanzania compounded by reports of high-risk injecting and sexual risk behaviours among people who inject drugs (PWID). These behaviours have implications for transmission of blood-borne viruses, including HIV and hepatitis C (HCV)., Methods: We recruited 267 PWID (87% male) from Temeke District, Dar-es-Salaam through snowball and targeted sampling. A behavioural survey was administered alongside repeated rapid HIV and HCV antibody testing. HIV and HCV prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated., Results: Among PWID, 34.8% (95%CI 29.1-40.9) tested HIV positive (29.9% of males and 66.7% of females); 27.7% (95%CI 22.0-34.0) tested HCV antibody positive. Almost all (97%) participants were aware of HIV and 34% of HCV. 45% of male and 64% of female PWID reported a previous HIV test; only five (2%) PWID reported a previous HCV test. Of HIV and HCV positive tests, 73% and 99%, respectively, represented newly diagnosed infections., Conclusion: High prevalence of HIV and HCV were detected in this population of PWID. Rapid scale-up of targeted primary prevention and testing and treatment services for PWID in Tanzania is needed to prevent further transmission and consequent morbidities., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2013
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