There is little research on injecting drug use in Nigeria. We investigated the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among male injection drug users (IDUs) in Lagos. Male IDUs (N = 328) were recruited through respondent-driven sampling. Participants completed an interview about their sexual and injecting risk behaviours and were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBV), hepatitis C antibody (HCV), HIV and syphilis, as well as genital chlamydia and gonorrhoea infections. Three-quarters of IDUs (74%) reported injecting drugs in the past one month although most did not share needles (92%) and the majority obtained sterile needles from pharmacists (87%). Estimated HBV, HCV, HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia prevalences were 7.8%, 7.7%, 0.9%, 1.9%, 0.0%, and 3.7%, respectively. The burden of HIV is presently low among IDUs in Lagos. Changes in accessibility to sterile needles at pharmacists would likely have a deleterious effect on IDUs' health. HBV vaccination and HCV prevention programmes for IDUs are urgently needed.
AdelekanMLLawalRA. Drug use and HIV infection in Nigeria: a review of recent findings. Afr J Drugs Alccohol Stud2006;5:118–29
2.
UNODC. World Drug Report. New York: United Nations, 2011
3.
4.
Federal Ministry of Health (Nigeria). HIV/STI Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBSS) 2007 – Nigeria 2007.
5.
DewingSPluddemannAMyersBJParryC. Review of injection drug use in six African countries: Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania. Drugs Educ Prev Policy2006;13:121–37
6.
EluwaGIStrathdeeSAAdebayoSBAhonsiBAdebajoSB. A profile on HIV prevalence and risk behaviors among injecting drug users in Nigeria: should we be alarmed?Drug Alcohol Depend2012
7.
Federal Ministry of Health (Nigeria). Nigeria Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey 2010. See: http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/2011HIV_IBBSS2010.pdf. (Last accessed 16 February 2013)
8.
Federal Ministry of Health (Nigeria). National HIV Sero-prevalence Sentinel Survey Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Nigeria. Technical Report. 2010
9.
Nigeria National AIDS Control Agency. Modes of Transmission in Nigeria: Analysis of the Distribution of New HIV Infections in Nigeria and Recommendations for Prevention UNAIDS and the World Bank Global HIV/AIDS Program; 2011
10.
Des JarlaisDCDiazTPerlisTVariability in the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infection among young injecting drug users in New York City. Am J Epidemiol2003;157:467–71
11.
MillerCLJohnstonCSpittalPMOpportunities for prevention: hepatitis C prevalence and incidence in a cohort of young injection drug users. Hepatology2002;36:737–42
12.
NelsonPKMathersBMCowieBGlobal epidemiology of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in people who inject drugs: results of systematic reviews. Lancet2011;378:571–83
13.
HeckathornDD. Respondent-driven sampling: a new approach to the study of hidden populations. Soc Probl 19971997;44:174–99
14.
HeckathornDDSemaanSBroadheadRSHughesJJ. Extensions of respondent-driven sampling: a new approach to the study of injection drug users aged 18–25. AIDS Behav2002;6:55–67
15.
MagnaniaRSabinbKSaidelaTHeckathornD. Review of sampling hard-to-reach and hidden populations for HIV surveillance. AIDS2005;19(Suppl. 2):S67–72
16.
HeckathornD. Respondent-driven sampling: a new approach to the study of hidden populations. Soc Probl1997;44:174–99
17.
SalganikMJ. Variance estimation, design effects, and sample size calculations for respondent-driven sampling. J Urban Health2006;83(6 Suppl.):i98–112
18.
OlshenEShrierLA. Diagnostic tests for chlamydial and gonorrheal infections. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis2005;16:192–8
19.
HeckathornDD. Respondent driven sampling II: deriving valid populations estimates from chain referral samples of hidden populations. Soc Probl2002;49:11–34
20.
TunWOkalJSheehyMHIV prevalence and injection behaviors among injecting drug users in Nairobi: results from a 2011 bio-behavioral study using respondent-driven sampling. 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment.Rome, Italy, 2011:Abstract no. MOLBPE049
21.
MathersBMDegenhardtLPhillipsBGlobal epidemiology of injecting drug use and HIV among people who inject drugs: a systematic review. Lancet2008;372:1733–45
22.
TimpsonSMcCurdySALeshabariMTSubstance abuse, HIV risk and HIV/AIDS in TanzaniaAfr J Drugs Alcohol Stud2006;5:158–69
23.
DahomaMJUSalimAAAbdoolRHIV and substance abuse: the dual epidemics challenging Zanzibar. Afr J Drugs Alcohol Stud2005;5:130–9
24.
JohnstonLSaumtallyACorcealSMahadooIOodallyF. High HIV and hepatitis C prevalence amongst injecting drug users in Mauritius: findings from a population size estimation and respondent driven sampling survey. Int J Drug Policy2011;22:252–8
25.
AceijasCHickmanMDonoghoeMCBurrowsDStuikyteR. Access and coverage of needle and syringe programmes (NSP) in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Addiction2007;102:1244–50
26.
AdogaMPGyarSDPechulanoSHepatitis B virus infections in apparently healthy urban Nigerians: data from pre-vaccination tests. J Infect Dev Ctries2010;4:397–400
27.
FasolaFAKotilaTRAkinyemiJO. Trends in transfusion-transmitted viral infections from 2001 to 2006 in Ibadan, Nigeria. Intervirology2008;51:427–31
28.
JomboGTEgahDZBanwatEB. Hepatitis B virus infection in a rural settlement of northern Nigeria. Niger J Med2005;14:425–8
29.
EgahDZBanwatEBAuduESHepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C and HIV antibodies in a low-risk blood donor group, Nigeria. East Mediterr Health J2007;13:961–6
30.
ShepardCWFinelliLAlterMJ. Global epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection. Lancet Infect Dis2005;5:558–67
31.
SimonsenLKaneALloydJZaffranMKaneM. Unsafe injections in the developing world and transmission of bloodborne pathogens: a review. Bull World Health Organ1999;77:789–800
32.
Amin-EsmaeliMRahimi-MovagharARazaghiEMBaghestaniARJafariS. Factors correlated with hepatitis C and B virus infections among injecting drug users in Tehran, IR Iran. Hepat Mon2012;12:23–31
33.
BackmundMMeyerKSchuetzCReimerJ. Factors associated with exposure to hepatitis B virus in injection drug users. Drug Alcohol Depend2006;84:154–9
34.
MillerERHellardMEBowdenSBharadwajMAitkenCK. Markers and risk factors for HCV, HBV and HIV in a network of injecting drug users in Melbourne, Australia. J Infect2009;58:375–82
35.
Enhancing Nigeria's HIV/AIDS Response (ENR) Programme. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men and injecting drug users and validation of Audio computer-assisted self interview (ACASI) in Abuja, Lagos, and Ibandan, Nigeria. Technical report. Abuja, Nigeria, 2010
