ACID RESISTANT BACTERIA LINKED TO HEROIN DEATHS IN IRELAND

A deadly bacteria which can survive attacks of heat and acid has been
blamed for 30 deaths of heroin addicts in Ireland and Britain over the
last six weeks.

Last night, it emerged that scientists now believe that bacteria from
the clostridia family has infected supplies of the hard drug over the
last two months.

The deadly infection has resisted the strongest antibiotics used
against it by doctors in Dublin, Scotland and north west England over
the last six weeks.

Addicts were warned last night that the bacteria will remain dangerous
in any other infected supplies "for months to come" if it is injected
into the muscles.

From there, toxins travel through the body and attack vital organs,
said one Dutch expert, fearful that contaminated heroin will appear
there. However, the geographically confined problem leads others to
believe that the heroin was adulterated at the last step of the chain.

The effort to track down the source has involved scientists in Dublin
and Glasgow, along with colleagues from the Centre for Disease Control
in Atlanta.

Warning against injecting heroin into the muscle at all costs,
Scottish scientists have said it is less dangerous if injected into a
vein, and 'safe' to use if smoked.