Pham Ngoc Trac, Truong Dinh Thuan, Truong Xuan Lien
Clinical Laboratory
Evaluate the prevalence of drug users in some populations
and risks groups, and theirs relation with HIV infection in the southern of
The studies are carried out at
The tests for the rapid detection of the drugs in urine is the enzyme immuno-assay methods (EIA), the confirmation and identification the drugs are carried out by the HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) and GC/MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrography) techniques.
The screening and the confirmation of HIV infection used: 2 ELISA tests and 1 Western blot test.
In the 2 chosen groups for the study of the utilization of the 4 types of drugs, we had the following results:
- Group A: 853 consultants among the general biological health control people: the opiates 0.46%, the cannabis 0.59%, the amphetamines 0.12% and the cocaine 0%.
- Group B: 624 subjects for the control of HIV infection: the opiates 7.85%, the cannabis 1.12%, the amphetamines 0.12% and the cocaine 0.16%.
The type of drugs are utilized the most are the opiates. The following of this work is based on this type.
The groups of the representative populations (5,070 subjects): 0.35%. The group in the centers of the rehabilitation of drugs abuse (280 subjects): from 2.2 to 82,3%*. The group of the previous opiate abusers by injection IV (279 subjects):20.1%. The group of the previous opiate abusers by smoking (256 subjects):10.2%. The group of the blood donors (432 subjects): 2.1%. The group of the female sex workers (480 subjects): 1.66%. And the group of the consultants for the control of HIV infection (853 subjects): 7.8%.
The groups of the representative populations 13.0 %. The group in the centers of the rehabilitation of drugs abuse from 13.3 to 95%*. The group of the previous opiate abusers by injection 15.9 %. The group of the previous opiate abusers by smoking 9.1%. And the group of the consultants for the control of HIV infection 10.2%.
The utilization of the drugs is still relatively low in the representative populations at the urban area (0.35%). However, the prevalence turn more important in the groups of the marginal populations: the blood donors who have the social level generally low (2.1%), and the female sex workers (1.7%). Moreover, 7.8% of the consultants who demanded the tests for the detection of the infection by HIV are the drugs abusers. This problem constitute a potential threaten of the amplification of the endemic of HIV infection as suggested by the seroprevalence of HIV already significative in these groups.
We also note an alarming epidemiologic situation in the drugs abusers group who were being in the periods of the desintoxication (where the drugs are forbidden to use), the utilization of the opiates is still sometimes very high (from 2.2 to 82.3%*), and the seroprevalence of HIV infection reaches the summit (13.3 to 95%*).
These data demonstrate that this
epidemiologic situation constitute a potential danger of the aggravation of the
HIV infection in the southern of
* According to the centers and theirs recruitment.