Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2000 Source: Herald, The (UK) Copyright: 2000 The Herald Contact: 195 Albion Street Glasgow G1 1QP Fax: +44 (0)141 302 7809 Website: http://www.theherald.co.uk/ Author: Lorna MaClaren FIVE MORE FELLED BY HEROIN SICKNESS FIVE more drug addicts fell victim to the heroin sickness sweeping Strathclyde yesterday, as support agencies in Fife were told a contaminated batch of drugs may be circulating in their area. The new cases, which came to light over the weekend and who were last night being treated in Glasgow hospitals, bring to 25 the total number of addicts affected by the tainted heroin, the origin of which remains unknown. Nine people, eight of them women, have died from the illness so far. All those infected have developed serious abscesses as a result of injecting into muscle or accidentally outside a vein. It is thought more women than men have been struck down as they tend to inject more often into muscle tissue because their veins are more likely to suffer collapse. Greater Glasgow Health Board yesterday said the new intake of addicts had similar symptoms to the drug users already admitted to hospital with the illness. "Post-mortem examinations have been carried out on eight cases," a spokeswoman for the board said. "Their deaths have all been certified by the pathologists as due to multiple organ failure consistent with overwhelming infection." But the board said tests of heroin had so far revealed no positive results. "The most likely explanation remains that there has been an unusual contaminant of a batch of heroin which results in severe damage to the muscle or other tissue into which is has been injected. This may allow otherwise relatively harmless bacteria to cause serious infection." Meanwhile, police and health authorities in Fife said they believed a contaminated batch of heroin was being sold thought to be likely to lead to infection. Mr David Mellor, chairman of Fife Drug and Alcohol Action Team, said that although there was no evidence of a connection with the deaths in Strathclyde, the heroin circulating in his area had prompted "cause for concern". He said: "Information has been received that heroin, diluted with an unusual contaminant, is being sold in Fife. Anyone with information concerning the source of this or of any other drug should contact police." - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder