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Background & objectives: Prevalence of injection drug users (IDUs) is high in the northeastern region of India. This coupled with unsafe injecting practices as well as practice of tattooing in remote tribal areas call for baseline data on the prevalence of parentally transmitted viral diseases. In the present study we aimed to measure the risk behaviours and seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies amongst IDUs of Mizoram, a State of the northeast India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2004-2005 amongst IDUs (including female sex workers) who had injected in the past six months and were unaware of their HCV/HIV status. They were recruited from various drop-in centers from Aizawl, Mizoram, and screened for anti-HCV antibodies using 3rd generation HCV EIA and recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). Results: The prevalence of HCV antibodies was 71.2 per cent among the active IDUs. On univariate analysis increasing duration of injection, syringe sharing and heroin (diacetylmorphine) injectors were at a significantly higher risk of acquiring HCV antibodies (P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, HCV antibody prevalence showed a strong association with the type of drugs injected (P=0.001), frequency of injecting (P=0.013), multiplicity of drugs abused (P=0.004), and needle syringe sharing (P=0.003). Interpretation & conclusions: Unsafe injecting practices were found to be associated with a higher risk of acquiring hepatitis C infection. Our findings showed that syringe and needle exchange programme alone was not sufficient as a preventive strategy for control of hepatitis C infection among IDUs of Aizawl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), India has been promoting and scaling up the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in the tribal dominated malarious areas of north-east India. But, information on sleeping habits, bed pet ownership and use practices, and feedback of communities in ITN - targeted areas is needed for formulating a strategic framework for upscaling the coverage of ITNs. We carried out a community-based cross-sectional survey in select areas of Nagaland and Mizoram (where ITNs were introduced) along with Assam (where ITNs were not introduced) to know the response of community. Methods: Following large scale introduction of ITNs during 2001-2002 in the north-eastern States or Nagaland and Mizoram by NVBDCP, India, a cross-sectional community-based survey was undertaken in April-May, 2003 covering 435 households of Nagaland and 464 households in Mizoram, using a structured questionnaire, to assess the demographic variables relevant to bed net use, bed net washing practices and acceptability of ITNs etc., for upscaling the coverage of ITNs in the surveyed communities. A total of 448 households in 8 villages in a non-ITN PHC area of Assam were served as the control area. Results: The average bet net usage per family (2.01 to 2.65). Bed net use was mostly, seasonal in Nagaland where a majority (65.1-78.7%) used bed nets only during summers and monsoon a compared to the year round use in Mizoram (83.5%) and Assam (78.9%). Frequent washing of nets was most common in Assamese communities with 77 per cent households washing their nets at least once in a month. More than two third users favoured use of ITNs river the conventional indoor residual spray of DDT for malaria control. Interpretation & conclusion: ITNs are widely acceptable in the user communities and a demand for ITNs is evident in the non-user communities of north-east India. Approach of treating community owned nets through an efficient service delivery mechanism will be a viable option for upscaling the ITN coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]