seroepidemiology of hiv, syphilis, hepatitis b and c in intravenous drug users at loghman hakim hospital

background and objectives: intravenous drug using is a main risk factor for getting infected with hiv, hepatitis b and c viruses. the syphilis is a common infection. the aim of this study was to investigate the seroepidemiology of hiv, syphilis, hepatitis b and c among the intravenous drug users (idus) at loghman hakim hospital, tehran. materials & methods: a descriptive (cross- sectional) study with observative-interview technique was conducted. 70 admitted idus patients in loghmanhakim hospital during july- december 2007 were included in this study. the patients with mean of age 34.4+/- 9.6 and mean of oral drug 66.15+/- 82.5 months, mean of intravenous drug 48.94+/-48.46 months, mean of inhalation drug 87.05+/- 84.14 months were studied. results: 74.5% of the patients had been in prison and 11.5% of them shared syringe. the positive results obtained for the serological tests of 70 patients were in the following order: anti- hcv (36%), anti-hiv (30%), hbsab (11.5%) and hbsag ( 6%). none of the patients was positive in rpr test. there was no significant correlations between the routes of using drug, history in prison and results of serology. importantly, a significant correlation was found between the sharing syringe and positivity for anti-hcv by itself or co-infection of hcv with hiv. conclusion: hcv is the most common infection among the intravenous drug users followed by hiv and hepatitis b. a lack of rpr shows infection with syphilis is under control.