Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Race and risk of hepatitis in narcotic addicts

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
The American Journal of Digestive Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A group of unselected addicts who participated voluntarily in a methadone withdrawal program were studied during a 1-year period. Sixty-seven percent were under 25 years of age, 63% were Black, and 76% were males. Intimate contact may be responsible for infection of HBAg-positive non-needle-using “snorters” of heroin. There was a higher frequency of hepatitis, HBAg-positive, and SGOT measurement over 250 units among white than among Black addicts, but no sex difference was detected. HBAg was positive in 68 patients; 42 of these had hepatitis, and 24 of the 26 asymptomatic addicts developed hepatitis. Seventy-one percent of hepatitis patients were HBAg-positive. After HBAg-positive illness, second attacks of hepatitis in 6 cases were all HBAg-negative.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cherubin CE: The medical sequelae of narcotic addiction. Ann Intern Med 67:23–33, 1967

    Google Scholar 

  2. Louria DB, Hensle T, Rose J: The major medical complications of heroin addiction. Ann Intern Med 67:1–22, 1967

    Google Scholar 

  3. Conditions for Investigational Use of Methadone for Maintenance Programs for Narcotic Addicts. Federal Register 36:6075. No. 64

  4. Mosley JE, Galambos JT: Viral hepatitis, Diseases of the Liver. Edited by L Schiff. Third edition. 1969, pp 410–497

  5. Mosley JE: Personal communication.

  6. Cherubin CE, Hargrove RL, Prince AM: The serum hepatitis related antigen (SH) in illicit drug users. Am J Epidemiol 91:510–517, 1970

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sutnick AI, Cerda JJ, Toskes PP, London WT, Blumberg BS: Australia antigen and viral hepatitis in drug abusers. Arch Intern Med 127:939–941, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cherubin CE: Infectious disease problems of narcotic addicts. Arch Intern Med 128:309–313, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  9. Havens WP Jr: Viral hepatitis: multiple attacks in a narcotic addict. Ann Intern Med 44:199–203, 1956

    Google Scholar 

  10. Norris RF, Kassouny D, Reinhold JG, Neefe JR: Persistence of abnormal hepatic tests in carriers of viral hepatitis. JAMA 160:1118–1121, 1955

    Google Scholar 

  11. Rosenstein BJ: Viral hepatitis in narcotics users: an outbreak in Rhode Island. JAMA 199:698–700, 1967

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cohen SN, Dougherty WJ: Transfusion hepatitis arising from addict blood donors. JAMA 203:427–429, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  13. Neefe JR, Norris RJ, Reinhold JG, Mitchell CB, Howell DS: Carriers of hepatitis virus in the blood and viral hepatitis in whole blood recipients. JAMA 154:1066–1071, 1954

    Google Scholar 

  14. Alter AA, Michael M Jr: Serum hepatitis in a group of drug addicts. N Engl J Med 259:387–389, 1958

    Google Scholar 

  15. Norris RF, Potter HP Jr: Hepatic inflammation in narcotic addicts: viral hepatitis a possible cause. Arch Environ Health 11:662–668, 1965

    Google Scholar 

  16. Helpern M, Rho Y: Deaths from narcotism in New York City: incidence, circumstances, and postmortem findings. NY State J Med 66:2391–2408 1966

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schaefer JW, Schiff L, Gall EA, Oikawa Y: Progression of acute hepatitis to postnecrotic cirrhosis. Am J Med 42:348–358, 1967

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kaplan K: Chronic liver disease in narcotics addicts. Am J Dig Dis 8:402–410, 1963

    Google Scholar 

  19. Levine RA, Payne MA: Homologous serum hepatitis in youthful heroin users. Ann Intern Med 53:164–178, 1960

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gorodetzky CW, Sapira JD, Jasinski DR, Martin WR: Liver disease in narcotics addicts: I. The role of the drug. Clin Pharmacol Ther 9:720–724, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  21. Sapira JD, Jasinski DR, Gorodetzky CW: Liver disease in narcotics addicts: II. The role of the needle. Clin Pharmacol Ther 9:725–739, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  22. Dismukes WE, Karchmer AW, Johnson RF, Dougherty WJ: Viral hepatitis associated with illicit parenteral use of drugs. JAMA 206:1048–1052, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  23. Light AB, Torrance EG: Opium addiction: conduct of addict in relation to investigative study. Arch Intern Med 43:206–211, 1929

    Google Scholar 

  24. Cherubin CE: Risk of post-transfusion hepatitis in recipients of blood containing S.H. antigen at Harlem Hospital. Lancet 1:627–630, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  25. Barker LF, Murray R: Relationship of virus dose to incubation time of clinical hepatitis and time of appearance of hepatitis-associated antigen. Am J Med Sci 263:27–33, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  26. Gocke DJ, Greenberg HB, Kavey NB: Correlation of Australia antigen with posttransfusion hepatitis. JAMA 212:877–879, 1970

    Google Scholar 

  27. Blumberg BS, Sutnick AI, London WT, Melartin L: Sex distribution of Australia antigen. Arch Intern Med 130:227–231, 1972

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Service of Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia

    William H. Whaley MD & John T. Galambos MD

  2. Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

    William H. Whaley MD & John T. Galambos MD

Authors
  1. William H. Whaley MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John T. Galambos MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Whaley, W.H., Galambos, J.T. Race and risk of hepatitis in narcotic addicts. Digest Dis Sci 18, 460–466 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076596

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076596

Keywords

Search

Navigation