Viral Hepatitis and the Drug Cult: A Brief Socioepidemiological Study in Sydney

Abstract
Study of 141 [human] individuals attending a Sydney [Australia] drug referral center revealed considerable psychosocial maladjustment in the group. Serological evidence of hepatitis B virus [HBV] infection, past or present, was found in 75% as compared with 13% of control subjects. Antibody [Ab] to hepatitis B core antigen [HBcAg] was twice as frequent as a serological marker of HBV infection as Ab to HB surface Ag. Prevalence rates of Ab to hepatitis A virus were similar in the drug and control groups. Hepatitis possibly due to hepatitis non-A non-B virus infection was found in 14% of those with clinical and biochemical hepatitis at the time of the study.

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