Severe systemic sepsis in injecting drug users

Between 1 April and 1 August 2000, over thirty heroin injectors died from a serious rare infection.  Since June 2008, new cases have been identified and a further death has occured.  The leaflets below give advice around this latest event.

“Dangerous heroin bug” - Advice to injecting drug users (PDF, 31 KB)

Severe systematic sepsis related to soft tissue inflammation in injecting drug users (PDF, 68 KB)
Advice for doctors on diagnosis, management and reporting.

 

An outbreak of serious illness and death occurred among injecting drug users during 2000 in Scotland, Ireland and England. This illness was most probably due to Clostridium novyi infection of injection sites.

• Advice
• Guidelines
• References

 

CDR Articles

• Serious unexplained illness among drug injectors 2 June 2000 
• Serious unexplained illness among drug injectors 9 June 2000 
• Clostridium novyi is likely cause to 'serious unexplained illness' as cases continue to be reported 16 June 2000 
• Injecting drug user on England's south coast dies with Clostridium novyi infection 23 June 2000 

Last reviewed: 6 March 2009