PARENTERAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV AMONG INJECTION-DRUG USERS - ASSESSINGTHE FREQUENCY OF MULTIPERSON USE OF NEEDLES, SYRINGES, COOKERS, COTTON, AND WATER

Objectives: To describe and estimate the frequency of different types of drug preparation and injection practices that could result in the t ransfer of blood and bloodborne infections among injection drug users (IDUs). Methods: We analyzed data from interviews administered to 12,3 23 active IDUs recruited from 19 sites in the United States. The inter views ascertained drug-related behaviors during the previous 30 days. Results: 31.9% of IDUs reported that they engaged in the use of both n eedle/syringes and cookers/cotton/water previously used by another IDU ; 8.6% engaged only in the use of needle/syringes previously used by a nother IDU; 17.5% engaged only in the use of cookers/cotton/water prev iously used by another IDU; and 42.0% reported using neither needle/sy ringes nor cookers/cotton/water previously used by another IDU. Only 1 2.6% reported use of new (never-used) needle/syringes. The 3935 IDUs w ho used both needle/syringes and cookers/cotton/water that had been pr eviously used by another IDU had more than 311,000 potential exposures to blood-borne infections from these high-risk practices in 30 days; about 64% of these exposures were from multiperson use of cookers/cott on/water. Conclusions: Programs to limit parenteral transmission of HI V and other bloodborne infections among IDUs must consider all drug pr eparation and injection practices that could allow transfer of blood a nd blood-borne infections among IDUs.