Volume 19, Number 10—October 2013
Dispatch
Hepatitis E Virus among Persons Who Inject Drugs, San Diego, California, USA, 2009–2010
Reena Mahajan
, Melissa G. Collier, Saleem Kamili, Jan Drobeniuc, Jazmine Cuevas-Mota, Richard S. Garfein, and Eyasu Teshale
, Melissa G. Collier, Saleem Kamili, Jan Drobeniuc, Jazmine Cuevas-Mota, Richard S. Garfein, and Eyasu Teshale
Table
Prevalence of IgG against hepatitis E virus among persons who inject drugs, San Diego, California, USA, 2010*
| Characteristic | Positive for IgG against HEV, n = 14 | Negative for antibody against HEV, n = 494† | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | |||
| M | 11 (79) | 357 (72) | 0.707 |
| F | 3 (21) | 137 (28) | ND |
| Mean age, y (95% CI) | 33.4 (30.1–36.6) | 28.5 (27.9–29.0) | <0.003 |
| Age ≥30 y | 9 (64) | 170 (34) | 0.013 |
| Race | 0.776 | ||
| White | 8 (57) | 272 (55) | ND |
| Black | 2 (14) | 34 (7) | ND |
| Hispanic | 2 (14) | 137 (28) | ND |
| Other | 1 (7) | 15 (3) | ND |
| Homeless | 11 (79) | 287 (58) | 0.326 |
| History of incarceration | 12 (86) | 376 (76) | 0.263 |
| Sharing any drug injecting equipment | 8 (57) | 354 (72) | 0.587 |
| Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection† | 1 (7) | 93 (19) | 0.443 |
| Exchange of sex for money | 5 (36) | 142 (29) | 0.308 |
| Travel to Mexico | 10 (71) | 314 (64) | 0.373 |
| Antibody against HAV | 3 (21) | 190 (38) | 0.504 |
| Antibody against HBc | 3 (21) | 201 (41) | 0.138 |
| Antibody against HCV | 3 (21) | 128 (26) | 0.351 |
| HIV positive | 1 (7) | 21 (4) | 0.751 |
*Values are no. (%) unless otherwise indicated. ND, not determined; HAV, hepatitis A virus; HBc, hepatitis B core antigen; HCV, hepatitis C virus.
†Totals may not equal 100% because of missing data.
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Page updated: September 16, 2013
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