Drug users who share 'cookers' risk Hepatitis C
10 May 2002
The risk of hepatitis C seroconversion is raised in intravenous drug users who share equipment other than syringes, say US researchers.
They followed more than 700 users for 2 years and found those who shared 'cookers' (equipment such as bottle caps or spoons used to dissolve and heat drugs before injection) were 3 times as likely to develop hepatitis C than non-sharers.
This risk was raised even if the people sharing cookers did not share syringes, the researchers wrote (American Journal of Epidemiology 2002; 155: 645-53).
Sharing other equipment, such as cotton filters, raised the risk of hepatitis C more than 2-fold, the researchers added.
Last Reviewed: 13 May 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 10/5/02
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