A decade of spore-forming bacterial infections among European injecting drug users: pronounced regional variation.
Hope, Vivian D;
Palmateer, Norah;
Wiessing, Lucas;
Marongiu, Andrea;
White, Joanne;
Ncube, Fortune;
Goldberg, David;
(2012)
A decade of spore-forming bacterial infections among European injecting drug users: pronounced regional variation.
American journal of public health, 102 (1).
pp. 122-125.
ISSN 0090-0036
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300314
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The recent anthrax outbreak among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Europe has highlighted an ongoing problem with severe illness resulting from spore-forming bacteria in IDUs. We collated the numbers of cases of 4 bacterial illnesses (botulism, tetanus, Clostridium novyi, and anthrax) in European IDUs for 2000 to 2009 and calculated population rates. Six countries reported 367 cases; rates varied from 0.03 to 7.54 per million people. Most cases (92%) were reported from 3 neighboring countries: Ireland, Norway, and the United Kingdom. This geographic variation needs investigation.
