Document 2434
 DOCN  M94A2434
 TI    Prevalence of blood-borne viruses among intravenous drug users and
       alcoholics in Japan.
 DT    9412
 AU    Ichimura H; Kurimura O; Tamura I; Tsuchie H; Kurimura T; Institute of
       Clinical Research, Kure National Hospital, Japan.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):305 (abstract no. PC0151). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370141
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of blood-borne viruses such as
       HIV, HCV and HBV among IVDU in Japan, where little is known about the
       present situation of IVDU. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From June to December
       1993, serum samples were collected from 47 IVDU (mean age +/- SD: 39.4
       +/- 13.0) and 98 alcoholics (mean age +/- SD: 50.6 +/- 10.7) in
       Hiroshima, Japan, and examined for the markers for virus infection.
       HCV-RNA was assayed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
       (RT-PCR) using primers deduced from a 5'-noncoding region of HCV genome.
       The env C2-V3 region of the HIV-1 genome was directly sequenced after
       being amplified by PCR. All tests were performed with the informed
       consent of the subjects. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: 1) The prevalence of
       HCV-antibody (-Ab) and/or HCV-RNA was significantly higher in IVDU than
       alcoholics (74.5% vs. 20.4%, P < 0.001). In contrast, the prevalence of
       HBs- and/or HBc-Ab showed no significant difference between the two
       groups (57.4% vs. 66.3%). This may be due to the fact that HCV infection
       becomes persistent at a high rate even in adults unlike HBV infection.
       2) HIV-1 infection was found in one case (2.1%) of IVDU in Hiroshima,
       Japan. The genetic analysis indicated that the proviral DNA belongs to
       subtype B. Careful follow-up of this group is needed.
 DE    Adult  Alcoholism/*MICROBIOLOGY  Blood-Borne Pathogens/*ISOLATION &
       PURIF  Hepatitis Antibodies/ANALYSIS  Hepatitis B Virus/*ISOLATION &
       PURIF  Hepatitis C Viruses/IMMUNOLOGY/*ISOLATION & PURIF  Human
       HIV-1/GENETICS/*ISOLATION & PURIF  Polymerase Chain Reaction  RNA,
       Viral/ANALYSIS  Substance Abuse, Intravenous/*MICROBIOLOGY  MEETING
       ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
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