Correlates of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in Injection Drug Users in a Syringe-Exchange Program in Malmö, Sweden

BACKGROUND:

Injection drug users (IDUs) are at increased risk of various medical conditions, including bacterial skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). SSTIs, which are painful and can lead to life-threatening complications, are common but scarcely studied.

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate life time, past 12 month and past 30-day prevalence for SSTI related to injection drug use, in IDUs at Malmö syringe exchange program (Malmö SEP). To investigate factors associated with having ever had an SSTI.

METHODS:

IDUs were recruited from Malmö SEP (N = 80). They participated in a survey with questions about demographics, drug use, and experience of SSTIs. Factors independently associated with self-reported SSTI ever were assessed using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS:

The lifetime reported prevalence of SSTI was 58%, past 12 months 30%, and past 30 days 14%. Factors independently associated with SSTI ever were age, female sex, having ever injected prescribed drugs, and having ever injected in the neck. 

CONCLUSIONS: SSTI is common among IDUs in Malmö. Women and those injecting in the neck or injecting prescribed drugs (crushed tablets/liquids), are more likely to have had an SSTI.

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By: Dahlman D1, Håkansson A2, Björkman P3, Blomé MA3, Kral AH4.

• 1 Malmo Addiction Center , Psychiatry Skane , Malmo , Sweden.
• 2 Department of Clinical Sciences , Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
• 3 Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Clinical Sciences , Lund University , Malmo , Sweden.
• 4 RTI International , San Francisco , California , USA.

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