HPR volume 14 issues 18 and 19 (6 to 20 October)

Q: Infection and vaccine coverage reports in this issue of HPR

Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring ( UAM ) Survey of HIV and viral hepatitis among PWID : 2020 report Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage in adolescent females and males in England: academic year 2019/20 . Impact of physical distancing measures due to COVID-19 pandemic in England on childhood vaccination counts to week 39, and vaccine coverage to August 2020 . Quarterly UK childhood vaccination coverage statistics (COVER programme): April to June 2020 .

Updated 23 December 2020

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-report-volume-14-2020/hpr-volume-14-issues-18-19-6-to-20-october

HIV and viral hepatitis monitoring among PWID: annual report in summary

The latest data tables for the Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring (UAM) Survey of people who inject drugs (PWID) were published by Public Health England on 6 October and a full commentary article on the data is included in this issue of the Health Protection Report (HPR). Data tables and the HPR report are available on: People who inject drugs: HIV and viral hepatitis monitoring.

The UAM survey measures the prevalence of antibodies to HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) – as well as levels of risk and protective behaviours – in the PWID population accessing specialist drug services. The data released are from the 2019 survey of people who injected psychoactive drugs. This annual, cross-sectional survey covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and data are presented at country level and for the English regions.

Overall, the data from the UAM survey show that in 2019, infections remained a problem among PWID. HIV prevalence remained stable at 0.82%; all those with HIV in 2019 were aware of their infection. The survey found that 6.9% of respondents had ever been infected with HBV (antibodies to the HBV core antigen) in 2019, a decline from 16% in 2010. HCV remained the most common infection among this group with 54% ever infected (antibodies to HCV). The proportion of UAM participants ever infected with HCV who had markers of chronic infection (HCV RNA) was 42% in 2019, a decline from 58% in 2011; this corresponds with the timing of the scale-up of direct acting antiviral treatment against HCV among PWID.

In 2019, 20% of those currently injecting had shared needles and syringes during the preceding the 28 days, and injecting drugs into higher risk sites on the body, such as the groin and hands, was common. Uptake of diagnostic testing for HIV and HCV – and of the HBV vaccine – were all high; however, uptake of HBV vaccination appears to be declining in younger age groups.

Over one-third of those who injected during the preceding year reported having a swelling containing pus (abscess), a sore or open wound at an injection site in 2019. Crack injection remained high in 2019 at 57% and has increased in the last decade in Wales and in multiple regions in England.

The HPR commentary concludes that individuals continue to be at risk through their injecting practices. The provision of interventions that aim to reduce infections among PWID, including needle and syringe programmes, testing, treatment and vaccination programmes, should be regularly reviewed to ensure that the coverage of these programmes is appropriate to local need.