POTENTIAL FOR TRANSMISSION OF BLOOD BORNE PATHOGENS BY SYRINGES IN CAMEROON

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Viral contamination of clinical injections in Kumba, Cameroon was examined in 1536 patients in 2001¿2002. Blood and matched syringe washes (SW) were collected from each patient. Antibodies against HIV, HBV and HCV were identified in blood and SW. Seroprevalence was 12.4% for HIV, 10.75% for HBsAg and 10.12% for HCV. HIV RNA was extracted from positive and indeterminate washings. gag, pol and env genes were amplified from 32% of intravenous injections and 2% of intramuscular injections Thirty-six HIV-1 group M strains were partially sequenced. They majority belonged to the circulating recombinant form (CRF)02(IbNg). Subtypes A, D, F2 and CRF11_cpx were also present at less than 3% each. These findings support a role for unsafe injections in the spread of HIV-1 and other viruses in West Central Africa and are in contrast to recent studies indicating that contamination of injection equipment was not possible in these settings.