PURPOSE OF REVIEW Recent breakthroughs in HIV-prevention science led us to evaluate the current state of combination HIV prevention for injection drug users (IDUs). We review the recent literature focusing on possible reasons why coverage of prevention interventions for HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and tuberculosis among IDUs remains dismal. We make recommendations for future HIV research and p...

The aims of this study were to describe illegal drug abuse patterns in relation to the migration process and use of drug treatment centers among immigrant injected drug users (IDUs) involved in harm reduction programs, and to compare the characteristics of immigrant and native IDUs. Cross-sectional study of 748 IDUs aged ≥18 years attending harm reduction centers between 2008 and 2009. We explo...

According to recent World Health Organization data, approximately 170-200 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). At present, illicit drug users (IDUs) constitute the largest group of individuals infected with HCV in industrial countries. Between 50% and 90% of IDUs are estimated to be positive for anti-HCV antibodies and most of the new infections occur in IDUs. The...

BACKGROUND In qualitative diagnosis of bile duct stenosis, single diagnostic measure is difficult to make a correct diagnosis, to combine several diagnostic techniques may be helpful to make an accurate diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS), endoscopic brush cytology and K-ras, P53 gene mutation in the early diagnosis of malignant bilia...

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND The HIV prevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Indonesia reached 50% in 2005. While drug use remains illegal in Indonesia, a needle and syringe program (NSP) was implemented in 2006. METHODS In 2007, an integrated behavioural and biological surveillance survey was conducted among IDUs in six cities. IDUs were selected via time-location sampling and respondent...

UNLABELLED Injecting drug use is the main risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in most developed countries. HCV antiviral treatment (peginterferon-α + ribavirin) has been shown to be cost-effective for patients with no reinfection risk. We examined the cost-effectiveness of providing antiviral treatment for injecting drug users (IDUs) as compared with treating ex/non-IDUs or no treatmen...

We addressed the role of innate immunity in the protection against HIV-1 infection by studying NK cell function in 37 Vietnamese intravascular drug users (IDUs), who appeared to remain HIV-1 uninfected despite many years of high-risk exposure (exposed uninfected, EU), 10 IDUs who underwent seroconversion and 28 unexposed blood donors. Main results were: NK cell lytic activities against both the...

Designing interventions to reduce HIV transmission among injecting drug users (IDU) requires reliable estimates of risk behaviors. We present population-based estimates for unsafe injection practices and sexual risk behaviors among male IDUs recruited through respondent driven sampling in India (Delhi: 783; Imphal: 766). IDUs in Delhi, mostly street-based (68%), reported injecting pharmaceutica...

BACKGROUND Although needle and syringe sharing is one of the main routs of transmission of HIV in several countries in the middle east, very little is known about how socio-economic status of injecting drug users (IDUs) is linked to the receptive syringe sharing behaviors in these countries. AIM To study socio-economic correlates of receptive needle and syringe sharing among IDUs in Iran. M...

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of a restriction on publicly subsidised temazepam 10 mg capsules upon the injection of benzodiazepines by injecting drug users (IDUs). DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS Cross-sectional study of regular IDUs targeting periods before and after the policy change. Analysis of prescription data, including time-series analysis. SETTING Drug services in the capital cities of N...