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

Country

Year

Number tested

% positive HBsAg (1)

% positive any marker (1)

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

Ref.

Belgium

2003

362

(3.9)

(12.0-61.9)

DTC, LTS; serum

2a, 2b, 8

Denmark

1997

602

 

(64-68)

PRI, DTC; serum

1, 2

Germany

1999

140

2.0

(52-63)

DTC

4

Estonia

2002

100

 

(59.5-68.2)

LTS

3

Greece

2003

2040

2.3-5.8 (0.0-7.1)

 

DTC, LTS, OHC, PHL; serum

1, 2, 9

Spain

2002-2003

805

 

(20.0-51.7)

DTC

29, 32

Ireland

1998-99

682

 

17.9-18.5

PRI, serum, saliva

2, 4

Italy

2003

62249

 

43.4 (26.3-90.6)

DTC, PRI; serum; IDUnk

1a, 1b

Latvia

2001

261

 

(38)

NSP

2

Lithuania

2000

698

 

7

 

2

Hungary

2002-2003

470

0.7 (2.6)

 

DTC, PHL, STR; serum, saliva

1, 2

Netherlands

1999-00

405

(3.0-4.4)

(35.2-67.5)

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

6, 9, 11

Austria

2003

214

 

(7.0-34.0)

DTC, LTS, PHL, GPs, HTC; serum

2, 3, 4, 5

Poland

2002

164

(5.6)

(52.4)

DTC, STR, serum

2

Portugal

2003

8110

3.0-8.0

16.0-33.0

DTC; serum, dried blood spots; IDUnk

10a, 22

Slovenia

2002-2003

670

3.4

10.4

DTC; serum

1

Slovakia

2002

80

 

(6.3)

DTC; serum

2

Sweden

1997

184

 

57.6

PRI, 9 sites; saliva

5a, 5b

United Kingdom (E & W)

2003

2644

 

(2.0-29.0)

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

20

Bulgaria

2001

689

(5)

n.a.

DTC, NSP, LTS, outreach.

1a

Romania

2000

1200

(25)

 

DTC

1

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 [Tables INF-14 to 15] in the annex of this statistical bulletin.   

(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) DTC = drug treatment centres; NSP = needle exchanges; LTS = low-threshold services; PHL = public health laboratories; OHC = other hospital or clinics; PRI = prisons; GPs = general practitioners; HTC = HIV testing centres; STR = street; OTH = other.

Sources:          

See [Tables INF-14 and INF-15]  

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