Table INF-2. Prevalence of HCV antibody among injecting drug users in the EU: summary table by country

Country

Year

Number tested

% infected (1)

Setting/comments (2) (3) (4) (5)

References

Belgium

2003-04

354

(37.35-75.96)

LTS, DTC; serum

2a, 2b, 8, 14

Czech Republic

2002-03

1853

29.7-52

LTS, 12 sites in 11 of the 14 regions; PRI, 35 sites, IDUnk; serum

3, 4

Denmark

2004

105

67

ODD; All drug related deaths who have a blood sample taken at autopsy; IDUnk

7

Germany

2004

1134

(75.0)

Vaccination study; serum, IDUnk

24

Estonia

2002

63

(90.5)

LTS

3

Greece

2004

2227

44.19-61.18 / (23.58-75.76)

DTC, LTS, OHC, OTH; serum

1, 2, 9

Spain

2003

669

(59.1-73.3)

STR, Heroin users age 30 or less recruited in community. Injectors+non injectors. Dried blood spots.

29, 34

France

 

 

n.a.

 

 

Ireland

2003

65

(72.3)

DTC; serum

14

Italy

2003

79160

65.1 / (42.1-97.2)

DTC, PRI; saliva, serum; IDUnk

1a, 1b

Cyprus

2004

98

9.1

DTC, PRI; serum

1

Latvia

2001

261

(83.0)

NSP

2

Lithuania

2000

693

79

n.a.

n.a.

Luxembourg

 

 

n.a.

 

 

Hungary

2003-04

424

13.98 / (30.0)

DTC, STR, PHL; serum, saliva

1, 2

Malta

2004

180

34.4

DTC; serum

2

Netherlands

2004

60

(76.7)

LTS, 5 sites; serum

22

Austria

2004

388

41.0 / (23.0-56.0)

LTS, PHL, GPS, HTC, ODD, DTC; serum

1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5

Poland

2004

419

(56.0-68.3)

DTC, LTS, STR; serum

2, 5

Portugal

2004

8973

44.5-85.3

DTC, Detoxification units, Outpatient units, Therapeutic communities, Public detoxification units; serum, dried blood spots; IDUnk

10a, 23, 24

Slovenia

2004

467

22.5

DTC; serum

1

Slovakia

2004

72

(45.87)

DTC

4, 7

Finland

2004

685

(15.3-56.6)

NSP; serum, saliva

6

Sweden

 

 

n.a.

 

 

United Kingdom

2004

3216

(27.0-74.0)

DTC, NSP, LTS, primary care and outreach; saliva

8, 20, 21, 31, 32

Bulgaria

2004

1257

(55.8)

DTC, NSP, LTS, outreach; 4 sites.

1a, 1b

Romania

2004

173

(47.6-80.4)

DTC; serum

2

Turkey

2004

38

(47.4)

DTC; serum

n.a.

Norway

2004

264

(68.0)

NSP, STR; serum

2, 2a, 2b

Notes: This summary table is meant to give a global overview of HCV prevalence in IDUs in the EU. In this table data are reported for the most recent year available. Data sources for more than one year are used if they clearly improve generalisability (e.g. national data, out-of-treatment data). Prevalence in this table should not be compared with previous versions to follow changes over time, as inclusion of sources may vary according to data availability. For time trends see Table INF-11 to Table INF-13.

(1) The figures given in brackets show local estimates (or range of estimates) within the country.

(2) Saliva tests for hepatitis C antibodies underestimate prevalence. If test sensitivity is known then figures can be adjusted upwards by dividing prevalence by test sensitivity. Test sensitivity is around 70–90 % in older studies and may be up to 90–95 % in some recent studies. Figures have not been adjusted.

(3) Having health problems is one selection criterion for admission to drug treatment in some countries or cities (Greece, Portugal, Rome), due to long waiting lists or special programmes for infected IDUs, and this may result in upward bias of prevalence. Prevalence from treatment data should therefore be interpreted in combination with non-treatment data. On the other hand, data from Italy and Portugal include non-IDUs and may thus underestimate prevalence in IDUs.

(4) IDUnk = IDU not known, prevalence may be too low.

(5) ODD = Overdose Deaths; DEM = Drug Emergencies; DTC = Drug Treatment Centres; NSP = Needle Exchanges; LTS = Low-Threshold Services; PHL = Public Health Laboratories; STI = STI Clinics; ANT = Antenatal Clinics; OHC = Other Hospital or Clinics; PRI = Prisons; ARR = Arrests; GPS = General Practitioners; HTC = HIV Testing Centres; STR = Street; OTH = Other.

See Table INF-11 (Excel format).

See also 'General notes for interpreting data' on the Explanatory notes and help page.

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