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25 February 2010
Anthrax outbreak among drug users in Scotland and Germany
Country: Europe
The ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) reports that a total of 24 cases of anthrax infection have been confirmed in Scotland since the beginning of December 2009 among heroin users. Ten cases have died and the latest were reported on 23 February 2010. The cases occurred in the catchment areas of NHS Forth Valley (1 case - dead), NHS Tayside (3 cases - 2 dead), NHS Lanarkshire (3 cases - all alive), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area (10 cases - including 6 deaths), Ayrshire and Arran (1 case, alive), NHS Fife (1 case - dead), NHS unspecified (4 cases – alive) and NHS Dumfries & Galloway (1 case – alive).
The German health authorities reported on 12 January 2010 a case of anthrax in an injecting drug user. The case was hospitalised on 6 December 2009 and died from multiorgan failure on 13 December 2009. Laboratory tests carried out in Germany on this confirmed case have shown that the strain is indistinguishable from the strains isolated from cases in Scotland.
As of 23 February the UK health authorities reported two confirmed case of anthrax among an injecting heroin user in England, one in London and one fatal case reported from Blackpool on 10 February 2010. This makes the total number of cases in the UK 26 including 11 death.
Read the full ECDC threat assessment: Anthrax outbreak among drug users, Scotland and Germany, Joint ECDC and EMCDDA threat assessment (update 12 February 2010)
25 February 2010
Anthrax outbreak among drug users in Scotland and Germany
Country: Europe
The ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) reports that a total of 24 cases of anthrax infection have been confirmed in Scotland since the beginning of December 2009 among heroin users. Ten cases have died and the latest were reported on 23 February 2010. The cases occurred in the catchment areas of NHS Forth Valley (1 case - dead), NHS Tayside (3 cases - 2 dead), NHS Lanarkshire (3 cases - all alive), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area (10 cases - including 6 deaths), Ayrshire and Arran (1 case, alive), NHS Fife (1 case - dead), NHS unspecified (4 cases – alive) and NHS Dumfries & Galloway (1 case – alive).
The German health authorities reported on 12 January 2010 a case of anthrax in an injecting drug user. The case was hospitalised on 6 December 2009 and died from multiorgan failure on 13 December 2009. Laboratory tests carried out in Germany on this confirmed case have shown that the strain is indistinguishable from the strains isolated from cases in Scotland.
As of 23 February the UK health authorities reported two confirmed case of anthrax among an injecting heroin user in England, one in London and one fatal case reported from Blackpool on 10 February 2010. This makes the total number of cases in the UK 26 including 11 death.
Read the full ECDC threat assessment: Anthrax outbreak among drug users, Scotland and Germany, Joint ECDC and EMCDDA threat assessment (update 12 February 2010)
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