Drug Trafficking Routes and Hepatitis B in Injection Drug Users, Manipur, India

Abstract

Prevalence of hepatitis B genotype C in injection drug users in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, neighboring the "Golden Triangle," correlates well with overland drug-trafficking routes, the injection drug use epidemic, and the spread of HIV. Further spread to other regions of India through mobile populations is possible.

Keywords

• Hepatitis B virus
• injection drug use
• occult hepatitis B infection
• genotype C
• Manipur
• India