---

Dept of Health

Answer

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intravenous (a) drug users and (b) insulin users are infected with hepatitis. [142211] Yvette Cooper: Routine surveillance of hepatitis B infection is based on laboratory diagnoses. Data on injecting drug users from 1995 to 1999 are given in the table. These data are subject to under-reporting as about 60 per cent. of adult infections are asymptomatic and information about risk factors that may be relevant to the acquisition of infection is not available for about 40 per cent. of reports. Acute hepatitis B infection laboratory reports in injecting drug users England and Wales, 1995 to 1999 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Injecting drug users Total 1995 147 614 1996 166 569 1997 192 652 1998 251 843 1999{1} 230 719 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Provisional data Source: Public Health Laboratory Service Routine surveillance of hepatitis C infection is based on laboratory reports of antibodies to hepatitis C. Data on injecting drug users from 1995 to 1999 are given in the table. These data do not distinguish between resolved and chronic infections and are subject to under reporting as most infections will be asymptomatic. Information about the acquisition of risk factors that may be relevant to the acquisition of infection is available only for about 50 per cent. of reports. Laboratory reports of antibodies to hepatitis C in injecting drug users England and Wales, 1995 to 1999 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Injecting drug users Total 1995 815 1,662 1996{1} 1,220 2,544 1997{1} 1,432 3,059 1998{1, 2} 1,761 4,466 1999{1, 2} 1,961 5,554 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Provisional data {2} Includes child injecting drug users Source: Public Health Laboratory Service There have been 14 laboratory reports of acute hepatitis B infections in diabetics in the period 1990 to 1999. However in only three of these was the diabetic needle considered a possible source of infection.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

359 c194-5W;359 c192-3W; 142211

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Diabetes Drugs Disease control Hepatitis Misuse Syringes Insulin

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk