The extent of injection site infection in injecting drug users: findings from a national surveillance study

Abstract

SUMMARYInjection site infections in injecting drug users (IDUs) are associated with serious morbidity and healthcare costs. Factors associated with symptoms of these were examined through annual (2006)(2007)(2008) unlinked-anonymous survey of IDUs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Overall 36% (1863/5209) self-reported having a symptom with no trend over time (35 % 2006, 37 % 2007, 34 % 2008). Symptoms were less common in the North East of England ; increased with years injecting ; and were higher in women, those recently homeless, those recently using a needle exchange, and those injecting both opiates and stimulants. Of those injecting during the previous 4 weeks (n=3733) symptoms were associated with : injecting daily ; injecting o10 times a day; injecting into hands, groin, or legs ; sharing filters; and reusing water to flush syringes. Symptoms of injection site infections are common in IDUs. Better-targeted preventive interventions are needed, and continued surveillance should assist with assessing the impact of new initiatives.

Healthcare seeking and hospital admissions by people who inject drugs in response to symptoms of injection site infections or injuries in three urban areas of England

“…Previous studies of PWID in the UK found that around one-third reported having an abscess, sore, or open wound at an injection site during the preceding year [13,14], which is higher than the level found in the present study (24%). However, while previous studies have had wider geographical coverage, they have recruited either through health services provided to people who use drugs or from community settings using simple accessibility sampling approaches [13,14].…”

“…However, while previous studies have had wider geographical coverage, they have recruited either through health services provided to people who use drugs or from community settings using simple accessibility sampling approaches [13,14]. The use of these approaches could have resulted in the over-sampling of higher-risk individuals.…”

Increased Somatic Morbidity in the First Year after Leaving Opioid Maintenance Treatment: Results from a Norwegian Cohort Study

“…These conditions can be severe, they may cause permanent health damage and may sometimes be life-threatening and they often result in complicated, expensive and long-lasting hospital treatment [27]. …”

Bacterial and Viral Infections Among Hospitalized Injection Drug Users in Hamadan, Iran

“…Convenient, random and respondent-driven sampling methods often result in inclusion of a negligible number of women (8). Although this reflects the fact that the prevalence of injection drug users is considerably lower in women compared with men (1, 5) yet, since women are more likely to accrue harm from drug injection (11,18), epidemiology of ensued complications should be explored more thoroughly for this gender. It is suggested that women are more likely to depend on their partner to help them with injections, hence augmenting the risk of using shared paraphernalia (32,33).…”

“…medical complications such as infections) ascribed to complications accrued from injections (10). Injection Drug Users are at an increased risk of transmitting bacterial infections due to unsafe injection practices, and these infections are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in this population (6,11,12).…”