Published Date: 2012-08-14 16:14:12
Subject: PRO> Anthrax, human - UK (04): (England) warning
Archive Number: 20120814.1243817
ANTHRAX, HUMAN - UK (04): (ENGLAND) WARNING
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Mon 13 Aug 2012
Source: Croydon Advertiser [edited]
http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Warnings-heroin-laced-anthrax-sale-Croydon/story-16686917-detail/story.html
Warnings over heroin laced with anthrax on sale in Croydon
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Drug addicts in Croydon are being warned about catching potentially lethal anthrax infections from contaminated heroin. Posters have been put up in the town carrying the stark message: "Anthrax is killing heroin users: Early treatment can save your life." The campaign directs drug users to the Croydon Treatment and Recovery Partnership, in Church Road, for help and advice. It is feared that heroin in the area may have come from a batch which hospitalised a user in Scotland with an anthrax infection on 24 Jul 2012.
Authorities believe the case in Scotland may be connected to an outbreak of anthrax infections among injecting drug users in Europe. 5 cases have been identified since early June 2012, in Germany, Denmark, and France.
A spokeswoman for Croydon University Hospital said on Wednesday [8 Aug 2012] that the hospital has not yet seen any cases. Dr Fortune Ncube, of the Health Protection Agency (HPA), said hospitals across the country have been warned to look out for signs of the infection.
A spokesman for the HPA added: "Anthrax can be cured with antibiotics, if treatment is started early. It is therefore important for medical professionals to know what sorts of symptoms and signs to look for, so that there are no delays in obtaining the necessary treatment." He added: "There is no safe route for consuming heroin or other drugs that may be contaminated with anthrax spores."
Dr David Cromie is a consultant in public health medicine for NHS Lanarkshire, where the Scottish user has been hospitalised. He said: "It is important that drug users are aware of the particular dangers involved when they are injecting heroin. The advice to drug users is to avoid all heroin use, which we recognise may be very difficult for drug users to follow. If there is any pain or swelling around an injection site drug users should seek urgent medical attention."
The outbreak marks the 1st cases of anthrax among injecting drug users in Europe since a lethal outbreak in 2009 and 2010. Then, 5 cases were reported in England, 119 in Scotland, and 2 in Germany. Before that, only one case had been reported, in Norway in 2010.
Croydon Council had not commented when the Advertiser went to press.
To get help or advice to treat drug addiction, contact the Croydon Treatment and Recovery Partnership at 190 Church Road, Croydon, CRO 1SE, or phone 020 8604 7104.
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[This is being posted because the drug authorities in the UK are usually on top of a situation, so if they suspect Croydon or similar areas in southern England are at risk, it should be taken seriously.
To find Croydon, go to http://www.fallingrain.com/world/UK/C8/Croydon.html. - Mod.MHJ
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/357h.]
See Also
Anthrax, human - UK (03): (Scotland) HPS briefing docs. 20120731.1223145Anthrax, human - UK (02): (Scotland) new heroin related case, alert 20120725.1214623
Anthrax, human - UK: (Scotland) heroin users case control study 20120525.1143693
Anthrax - France: (RA) conf. heroin case 20120714.1201908
Anthrax - Germany (08): (Berlin) ongoing investigations 20120713.1200646
Anthrax - Germany (07): (Berlin) early self treatment 20120710.1196322
Anthrax - Germany (06): (Berlin) new case 20120705.1191168
Anthrax - Germany (05) 20120705.1190288
Anthrax - Germany (03): strain identified 20120624.1179225
Anthrax - Germany (02): (BY) 2nd heroin case, RFI 20120621.1175326
Anthrax - Germany: (BY) fatal, heroin user 20120612.1165823
Anthrax, human - Denmark (03): fatal conf. heroin case 20120709.1195198
2011
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Anthrax, human - UK, Germany 2010: heroin users, final report 20111231.3712
...and there are a number relating to the UK outbreaks in 2009-2010
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