This thesis documents my research on the epidemiology of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and other transmissible infections among 'at risk' young people, injecting drug users and sex workers in inner Sydney, and how this contributed to the early understanding of these infections in these potentially vulnerable populations in Australia. It also demonstrates how this work informed the development of innovative health service models in Sydney??s Kings Cross, including the Kirketon Road Centre (KRC) and the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC), to address the public health risks affecting these populations over time. Sub-themes include the establishment of sentinel surveillance systems at KRC to monitor HIV and HCV prevalence and incidence as well as trends in drug use in these populations, considered to be key drivers of these epidemics in Australia. Another sub-theme is the clinical trials of pharmacotherapies for both opioid and psychostimulant dependence and the development of the dual treatment approach to HIV (and later HCV) and drug dependence that built upon this. KRC has been an exemplar of this approach, which has been shown to enhance treatment adherence among people who inject drugs ?? necessary to achieve treatment outcomes comparable to other affected populations. In more recent years my research has also included a focus on the epidemiology, physiology and treatment of opioid overdose and other injecting-related harms among IDUs. Underlying my work over the past 20 years has been my commitment to the social justice belief that health is a basic human right and that these socially marginalised populations should have equitable access to high quality evidence-based health care.

The diploma thesis Infectious diseases of drug users is focused on monitoring the trend in the incidence of selected infectious diseases associated with the drug usage for a certain period of time. I have chosen viral hepatitis B and C for this monitoring because they belong to the most common infections typical for drug addicts at all. The issue of infectious diseases associated with intravenous drug usage is quite extensive therefore I tried to mention the most important information. Transmission of infectious diseases through intravenous drug usage is particularly insidious due to irrelevant length depending on time. The risk on non-compliance of basic hygiene measures is possible after a single application (using a sterile needle and syringe, a separate drug solution etc.). Another serious risk is that the viral hepatitis B and C can pass into the chronic stage, which significantly affects the quality of life and can also significantly reduce it. HIV infection is still incurable so it ends with the early death of the patient. If the syphilis is not treated and passes into the third stage it can ends up fatally. Infectious endocarditis is a serious life-threatening illness if not recognized and treated early. The diploma thesis has theoretical and practical part. In the theoretical part of this thesis I deal with various infectious diseases related to drug usage. I chose the most common disease according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): viral hepatitis A, B, C, infections transmitted by sexual contact (syphilis, gonorrhea), HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, infectious endocarditis and infections of the skin and soft tissues. Individual infections are divided into several chapters where the causative agent is described, mode of transmission, clinical picture, disease diagnosis, treatment and epidemiological measures. In the theoretical part I drew inspiration from the literature, internet sources and valid legal legislation. In the practical part I paid attention to the issue of occurrence of viral hepatitis B and C in the Pilsen Region for a certain period of time typical for intravenous drug users and the rest of the population. I compare these figures to the incidence of viral hepatitis in other regions of the Czech Republic for the same years. Data are analysed using quantitative research technique of secondary data analysis. Data are obtained from the information reporting system and records of transmissible diseases EPIDAT and from annual reports of the Czech Republic. The diploma thesis has one objective: to characterize and compare the trends of selected infectious diseases among drug users and the general population of the Pilsen Region in 2003-2011. Four hypotheses were defined: H1: The incidence of infectious diseases among drug users has been growing. H2: The frequency of infectious diseases among drug users in the Pilsen Region in the period 2003-2011 is comparable to the incidence of infectious diseases among drug users in the Czech Republic in the same time period. H3: The sickness rate of viral hepatitis B among drug users in the Pilsen Region in the period 2003-2011 is statistically more significant than among the general population of the Pilsen Region in the same time period. H4: The sickness rate of viral hepatitis C among drug users in the Pilsen Region in the period 2003-2011 is statistically more significant than among the general population of the Pilsen Region in the same time period. Due to lack of information in 2002, the objective of this diploma thesis and individual hypotheses had to be modified. Therefore the period relates to the year 2003-2011. Individual hypotheses were statistically tested to determine the statistical significance. The first and second hypothesis was refuted. A third hypothesis and fourth hypothesis was confirmed.