US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV6049

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 006049 
 
SIPDIS 
 
HHS FOR NIH/NIDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHIV, TBIO, SNAR, SOCI, ECON, EAID, IS, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ISRAELI SOCIETY 
SUBJECT:  AIDS STILL AT LOW LEVELS, BUT HEPATITIS C VIRUS 
PREVALENT AMONG INTRAVENOUS DRUG USERS IN ISRAEL 
 
 
1. Summary:  The incidence of HIV/AIDS remains low in 
Israel, with about half of new cases from sexual 
transmission.  Most cases of infection from intravenous drug 
use are among immigrants from the former Soviet Union.  At 
the same time, the incidence of Hepatitis C is high among 
drug users, and the health care community is mobilizing to 
educate drug users and the public about that disease.  End 
Summary. 
 
AIDS Cases in Israel 
------------------------- 
2. News reports on the morning of World AIDS Day stated that 
4200 cases of AIDS have been detected in Israel, though 
there are likely twice as many additional HIV carriers. 
There have been about 300 new cases of HIV infection each 
year for the past five years.  Thirty to forty percent of 
those have been detected among the close-knit Ethiopian 
immigrant community, with infection from sexual contact. 
About half of those infected contracted the disease 
following their arrival in Israel.  The number of cases of 
infection from sexual contact between homosexual males 
jumped from 30 to 60 per year over the past three years. 
 
Related Patterns of Drug Use 
----------------------------------- 
3. There are an estimated 28,000 heroin users between the 
ages of 18 and 40.  Intravenous drug use increased in the 
1990's, and about one-fourth of heroin users are from the 
former Soviet Union (FSU).  Women comprise one-fifth of 
heroin users. The most significant predictors of HIV among 
drug users are previous foreign residence or travel abroad. 
Most drugs users with HIV are from the FSU.  The absence of 
shooting-up galleries in Israel may help explain a general 
low incidence of HIV among IV drug users.  Nonetheless, 
substance abuse specialists and AIDS researchers expect 
HIV/AIDS to increase. 
 
High Incidence of HCV Among Drug Users 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
4.  There is a high incidence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) 
among IV drug users.  Rehabilitation treatment is offered to 
drug addicts.  There are seven methadone treatment centers 
across Israel.  Blood testing is performed for new entrants 
to treatment.  Seventy percent of new clients test positive 
for HCV. 
 
Public Less Aware of HCV Risk 
--------------------------------------- 
5.  Academics, health care providers, and government 
officials are concerned about a lack of knowledge about the 
transmission of HCV.  A workshop in Tel Aviv in October 
focused on syringe exchange and information outreach to 
decrease high-risk behaviors such as sharing of needles or 
inhalation paraphernalia, along with public education about 
modes of transmission of HCV.  Dr. Sheila Strauss of the 
National Development Research Institutes in New York 
addressed the workshop, noting that U.S. experience showed 
the importance of education, testing, and medical monitoring 
to arrest the spread of HCV. 
 
Health Care Community Mobilizing on HCV 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
6. Comment:  The Israeli public knows more about the means 
of contracting HIV than how HCV is spread.  As with 
HIV/AIDS, treatment of HCV can be considerably more 
expensive than prevention.  Israel's health care community 
is focused on mobilizing drug counselors to work with 
patients to prevent HCV and catch it early on if it has been 
contracted. 
 
CRETZ