ADDICTS ILL AMID FLESH BUG FEAR

HEALTH officials said three more drug addicts were seriously ill -
just a day after it was revealed that a user had died from a rare
"flesh-eating bug".

Two of the users have bloodstream infections and the other addict has
a severe abscess, Greater Glasgow and Argyll and Clyde Health Boards
said.

None of the addicts, who have not been named, is understood to have
the rare bug, necrotising fasciitis, but medical staff say that they
are deeply concerned about the new cases.

The Outbreak Control Team revealed the new cases after it met to
discuss the bug, which has infected two users in the area.

Dr Jim McMenamin, a consultant in public health at Greater Glasgow
Health Board, said: "We are continuing to work closely with a number
of agencies to investigate the possible causes of these conditions.

"The common link is that all of the cases have been drug injectors.

"Our advice is that drug users should not inject," Dr Mc Menamin
said, "and if their addiction is such that they must take heroin,
then it should be smoked.

"If they suffer any pain, redness or swelling around an injection
site, they should seek urgent medical attention."

The unnamed addict who died was found to have died of necrotising fasciitis .

A post-mortem examination was ordered by the procurator-fiscal after
two other cases of the disease were found during the past week among
drug users.

More than 30 heroin users, including 18 in and around Glasgow, were
killed by clostridium bacteria last year.

A rogue batch of heroin is the most likely cause of the outbreak of
the flesh-eating bug.

Greater Glasgow and Argyll and Clyde Health Board warned addicts not
to inject the drug . The boards say that injecting drug users are
more vulnerable to the potentially fatal illness, because it commonly
enters the body through broken skin.

Yesterday, a spokeswoman for Greater Glasgow Health Board said: "I
think the prime suspect is a rogue batch, but the investigation is at
a very early stage.

"Tests on the heroin found in the man that died will tell if this is
the case, but this will take a little time.

"We urge heroin addicts not to inject the drug and if they find any
pain or swelling around an injection site they should seek medical
help."