GLASGOW LINK PROBED IN IRISH HEROIN DEATHS

HEALTH officials in Ireland were last night investigating a link between the
death of five Irish heroin users and a similar cluster of 11 fatalities in
Glasgow from an unidentified illness.

The investigation came after the health authority covering Dublin issued a
warning that there may be contaminated heroin in circulation on the
capital's streets. It is the first known outbreak outwith Glasgow.

Five people have died in Dublin from heroin overdoses or related illnesses
in the past week. Four of these are said to be similar to the heroin deaths
in Glasgow. There have also been five other cases of severely ill users.

Dr Brian O'Herlihy, director of public health for Ireland's Eastern Regional
Health Authority, said last night that four of the five deaths fitted the
Glasgow "case definition" - that of an identified severe illness, caused by
heroin use.

"There are another three cases that are under treatment that may fit the
Scottish case definition," he added.

The Glasgow deaths involved mainly women users. In Dublin, two of the
victims were women.

"Females sometimes inject into the tissue or muscle rather than the veins
because of the difficulty in getting veins in females and there was an
element of a septic shock syndrome. This would suggest there might be an
element of infection," said Dr O'Herlihy

He added that there was severe damage and extensive necrosis, or death of
tissue, around the area where the users injected themselves.

In Ireland, since May 13, 10 severely ill heroin users have been admitted to
Dublin's St James' Hospital. Apart from the five victims, three have been
discharged, and two are still in hospital.

There are an estimated 13,000 heroin users in Dublin and the problem appears
to be concentrated in the south-west of the city.

It is thought the cause of the contamination in Dublin was probably as a
result of the heroin being "cut" with another substance to increase its
volume.

Dr O'Herlihy added that they had no information yet about the identity of
the infection, and the health authority is making emergency methadone
treatment available to addicts.

The Irish Department of Health has passed information about the deaths to
the National Diseases Surveillance Centre.

Greater Glasgow Health Board said last night it would be keeping a close eye
on the situation and hoped to have contact with their Irish counterparts
about the problem.

A spokesman added: "Obviously we are interested and we wouldn't preclude the
terms of our investigation to see if there is any link in what's being
happening in Glasgow and what's occurring in Dublin at the moment."