Injection drug use and HIV and HCV infections among Ontario prison inmates

In a recent issue of CMAJ, 2 research groups report on the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in different inmate populations: people in provincial prisons in Quebec, and adult and young offenders admitted to remand facilities (jails, detention centres and youth centres) in Ontario. The Ontario study is highlighted below; the Quebec study appears in a separate release. In both studies, injection drug use was the most important risk factor, and the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was much higher than that of HIV infection. Given the high rates of recidivism and the short stays in remand facilities and provincial prisons, the results of these studies...

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