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The WHO recommends needle-exchange programs (NEPs) for injection-drug users (IDUs) to decrease transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the present study, researchers examined the prevalence and incidence of infection with these pathogens among 1183 IDUs participating in an NEP in Malmö, Sweden, between 1997 and 2005.
A total of 831 individuals had two or more visits to the NEP (which allowed assessment of the incidence of new infections), whereas 352 provided only a single blood sample. The findings:
The baseline prevalence of HIV infection was 0.34%. During the study period, only two participants seroconverted, for an incidence rate of 0.08/100 person-years.
The baseline prev…