Epidemiological and genetic analyses of Hepatitis C virus transmission among young/short- and long-term injecting drug users from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Background: Injecting drug users (IDU) have a key role in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) epidemiology. Young/short-term IDUs constitute a target group for preventive/harm reduction interventions.

Objectives: To investigate HCV transmission among young/short-term (ST) and long-term (LT) IDUs, from the perspective of epidemiology and molecular biology.

"The first shot": the context of first injection of illicit drugs, ongoing injecting practices, and hepatitis C infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The context of first drug injection and its association with ongoing injecting practices and HCV (hepatitis C virus) infection were investigated. Injection drug users (IDUs) (N = 606) were recruited in "drug scenes" (public places, bars) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, interviewed, and tested for HCV. Sharing of needles/syringes was more prevalent at the first injection (51.

The role of "long-term" and "new" injectors in a declining HIV/AIDS epidemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Background: A substantial decline of HIV prevalence has been observed in injection drug users (IDUs) from Rio de Janeiro, in recent years. Differential characteristics and behaviors of new (injecting for <6 years) and long-term (>=6y) injectors may help to understand recent changes and to implement appropriate prevention strategies.

Methods: Between October 1999 and December 2001, 609 active/ex-IDUs were recruited from different communities, interviewed, and tested for HIV.

HIV-1 infection among injection and ex-injection drug users from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: prevalence, estimated incidence and genetic diversity.

Background And Objectives: Due to their behavioral conditions and vulnerability, injection drug users (IDUs) are prone to multiple simultaneous or sequential infections with distinct HIV-1 subtypes and variants, making them a key population for molecular epidemiology surveillance. In the present study, we evaluated HIV-1 infection seroprevalence, genetic diversity and estimated incidence among IDUs and ex-injection drug users (ex-IDUs) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Study Design: Six hundred and eight IDUs and ex-IDUs, recruited between 1999 and 2001, were interviewed and agreed to donate 30 ml of blood.