Injection Site Infections and Injuries

[Michael Scally MD]

Hope VD, McVeigh J, Marongiu A, et al. Injection site infections and injuries in men who inject image- and performance-enhancing drugs: prevalence, risks factors, and healthcare seeking. Epidemiol Infect 2014:1-9. Cambridge Journals Online - Epidemiology & Infection - Abstract - Injection site infections and injuries in men who inject image- and performance-enhancing drugs: prevalence, risks factors, and healthcare seeking

People who inject drugs are vulnerable to infections and injuries at injection sites, but these have rarely been studied in those injecting image- and performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs). This study examined the factors associated with reported symptoms of injection site infections and injuries in IPED injectors.

Of the 366 male IPED injectors surveyed, 42% reported ever having redness, swelling and tenderness (36% in the preceding year), and 6.8% had ever had an abscess or open wound at an injection site. Having these symptoms was associated with a range of factors related to drug use and healthcare utilization. One sixth (17%) of those reporting redness, tenderness and swelling had ever sought treatment, as had the majority (76%) of those reporting an abscess, sore or open wound.

Most common sources of advice were emergency clinics and General Practitioners. Interventions are needed to support access to appropriate injecting equipment and provide targeted harm reduction advice.

 

[GS44]

Makes you think, posts like these didn't phase me 20 years ago but the last few since i hit the big 40 i try to read and learn all that i can

 

[Michael Scally MD]

[OA] The Undesired Outcomes of Bodybuilding: An Intra-Deltoid Abscess Caused by Eikenella corrodens After Licking the Needle

Eikenella corrodens is a fastidious Gram-negative facultative anaerobic pleomorphic bacillus that is a normal inhabitant of the human mouth and upper respiratory tract. It is occasionally isolated in human bite infections, especially "reverse bite," "fight bite," or "clenched fist injuries," and from skin, soft tissue, and bone infections secondary to saliva contamination, such as in intravenous (IV) drug users who lick their needles ("needle-licker's osteomyelitis"). In addition, it may cause intra-abdominal abscesses, sub-acute endocarditis, brain abscesses, and respiratory tract infections. …

A 27-year-old previously healthy bodybuilder arrived in the emergency department (ED) of our medical center with complaints of pain and swelling in his right shoulder. Two weeks before, he had received an online purchased injectable agent for increasing muscle mass. He had opened the ampule with his teeth and then used a non-sterile needle, which he licked prior to injecting the solution into his deltoid muscle. A few days later, rapidly progressive swelling and redness appeared around the injection site, with accompanying severe local pain rendering him unable to abduct his arm. There was a single episode of 40°C fever. …

We describe, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of a body builder with an intradeltoid abscess due to, probably because he licked the needle to clean it prior to injection of steroids. This report highlights the potential harms of illegally used muscle-building products and of incorrect and non-sterile injection techniques with potential infectious complications and muscle damage

Abu Jabal T, Ganayem M, Peretz A, Nitzan O. The Undesired Outcomes of Bodybuilding: An Intra-Deltoid Abscess Caused by Eikenella corrodens After Licking the Needle. Isr Med Assoc J. 2020 Oct;22(10):586-587. PMID: 33070493. The Israel Medical Association Journal (IMAJ) | Search results