The correlation between Hepatitis E seropositiveness and intravenous drug using in the drug users who referred to the drug treatment centers in Ahvaz, 2005-2006

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is endemic in Iran and some cases of fulminant hepatit with high mortality rate caused by this virus have been reported in patients with chronic hepatitis E and in pregnant women. Although HEV is mainly transmitted via fecal-oral route, but recently there have been some reports indicating transition of this virus via transfusion. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the association of hepatitis E seropositiveness and intravenous drug using in the drug users. This is an analytical-descriptive study which was conducted in a drug treatment center in Ahvaz from 2005 to 2006. A total of 114 intravenous drug users (IVDUs) and 114 inhaling addicts (IADs) were subjected to full physical examination. Subsequently a questionnaire including individual characteristics and related variations was filled in and also a blood sample was obtained. Using ELISA method, the samples were tested for anti-HEV antibody. Data were analyzed using Chi square, t and odds ration (OR) tests. The mean age of the two groups, IVDUs and IADs, were 33.24±8.04 and 31.2±7.59 years respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05). The mean of duration of addiction in IVDUs and IADs groups was 11.58±6.92 and 9.95±6.42 years, respectively (P>0.05). Anti-HEV antibody was detected in 22.8% of IVDUs and 7.9% of IADs (P<0.01, OR=3.44). There was no significant relationship between previous imprisonment and anti-HEV antibody positiveness in the drug addicts studied (P>0.05, OR=1.15). As it was shown in this study, HEV is probably transmitted via blood transfusion and thus screening of blood donors for anti-HEV antibody may block this route of infection.