Table INF-3. Prevalence of markers for HBV infection among injecting drug users in the EU: summary table by country

Country or Region

Year

Number tested

% positive aHBc(1)

% positive aHBs(1)

% positive HBsAg(1)

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

References

Belgium

2004

344

(16.7-58.3)

(15.9-48.8)

(0.0-3.53)

LTS, DTC; serum

2a, 2b, 8, 14

Czech Republic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denmark

2004

105

43

37

 

aHBc, aHBs: ODD; All drug related deaths who have a blood sample taken at autopsy; IDUnk

7

Germany

1999-04

941

(53.0)

 

(2.0)

DTC, Vaccination study; serum; IDUnk

4, 24

Estonia

2002

100

 

 

 

LTS

3

Greece

1999-04

2228

 

 

2.69-3.43 / (0-5.51)

PRI, DTC, LTS, OHC, OTH; serum

1, 2, 9, 10

Spain

2003

1053

(22.5)

 

 

STR, Heroin users recruited in community; dried blood spots

29, 34

France

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ireland

2003

63

(17.5)

(86.4)

(0.0)

DTC; serum

14

Italy

2003

62249

43.4 (26.3-90.6)

 

 

DTC, PRI; serum; IDUnk. All markers.

1a, 1b

Cyprus

2004

98

 

 

 

DTC, PRI; serum

1

Latvia

2001

261

 

 

 

NSP

2

Lithuania

2000

698

 

 

 

 

2

Luxembourg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hungary

2003

470

 

 

0.7 / (2.6)

DTC, STR, PHL; serum, saliva

1, 2

Malta

2004

142

 

 

1.4

DTC; serum

2

Netherlands

1999-00

405

(35.2-67.5)

 

(3-4.4)

DTC, NSP, LTS, Surveys in and outside drug treatment; serum

6, 9, 11, 14a, 14b

Austria

2004

242

(0.0-37.0)

 

 

LTS, PHL, GPS, HTC, NSP; serum. All markers.

2, 3, 4, 5

Poland

2004

419

(23.6-66.7)

(31.5-34.5)

(1.84-4.0)

DTC, LTS, STR; serum

5

Portugal

2003-04

8895

16.0-28.0

20.0-33.0

3.0-9.0

DTC, outpatient units, therapeutic communities, detoxification units, Public detoxification units; dried blood spots, serum; IDUnk

10a, 22, 23, 24

Slovenia

2002-04

980

4.1

 

3.4

aHBc. DTC; serum

1

Slovakia

2002-04

148

(6.3)

 

 

DTC

4, 7

Finland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom

2004

2685

(10.0-30.0)

 

 

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

20, 31

Bulgaria

2004

1257

 

 

(5.2)

DTC, NSP, LTS, outreach; 4 sites.

1a, 1b

Romania

2004

173

 

 

(3.4-10.3)

DTC, serum

2

Turkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norway

2004

264

(42.0)

 

 

NSP, STR; serum.

2a, 2b

Notes:

This summary table intends to give a global overview of prevalence of HBV markers 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-14 to Table INF-15.

n.a.= not available

Sample size is mostly equal for the different HBV markers, where this is not the case the smallest sample size is shown.

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

(2) Saliva tests for hepatitis B antibodies underestimate prevalence. If test sensitivity is known then figures can be adjusted upwards by dividing prevalence by test sensitivity. 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 also 'General notes for interpreting data' on the Explanatory notes and help page.

Sources:

See Tables INF-14 to Table INF-15.

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