Wongtongkam, Nualnong, Lampoo, Seearoon, Nilaban, Sumnao, and Lukanapichonchut, Lumsum (2021) Comorbid communicable diseases of substance abuse in Thailand: a 5-Year retrospective study. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice, 29 (6). e380-e384.

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Abstract

Substance abuse is a major threat to health and safety of not only drug users themselves but also communities more widely because of the increased risk of spreading communicable diseases that coexist with drug misuse. Retrospective data from 2013 to 2017 drawn from a Thai rehabilitation center showed 14 cases of hepatitis, 36 of HIV, and 102 of tuberculosis (TB). Demographic data and International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, codes related to comorbidity of these communicable diseases were obtained. Most hepatitis comorbidity was found in patients with alcohol dependence who were infected with hepatitis B or C. Comorbidities with TB and HIV were found only in persons with other stimulant use. With a 5-year prevalence, there was statistically significant difference in TB comorbidities among substance abusers (P = 0.028). Interestingly, any substance misuse could contribute to co-occurring HIV infection, but there were no statistically significant differences. Nowadays, a tradition of sharing unsterilized injection equipment might not be the leading cause of coexisting communicable diseases among illegal drug users. Instead, sharing personal possessions and unprotected sexual activity might the major actions increasing risk of contracting comorbid communicable diseases, particularly TB and HIV.

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