Pubdate: Wed, 31 May 2000
Source: Irish Times, The (Ireland)
Copyright: 2000 The Irish Times
Contact:  11-15 D'Olier St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Fax: + 353 1 671 9407
Website: http://www.ireland.com/
Author: Dick Ahlstrom, Science Editor,  http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n721/a02.html

MEDICAL EXPERTS STILL SEEK CAUSE OF HEROIN DEATHS

Medical specialists in Ireland, the US and Britain have yet to discover 
what caused the deaths of at least 20 heroin-users in Dublin and Glasgow. 
Samples of the drug have been recovered and are being analysed for any sign 
of contamination.

A total of 14 heroin addicts in Dublin have fallen ill since the mystery 
illness was first identified about 10 days ago, according to Dr Joe Barry, 
a public health specialist with the Eastern Regional Health Authority 
(ERHA). Seven of these have died, but no new cases have been reported for 
several days.

Almost 30 cases have been discovered in Glasgow, and there have been more 
than a dozen deaths there. Authorities in the two cities are in regular 
contact to share information, he said.

"We link on a daily basis, and the clinicians who are dealing with patients 
in both jurisdictions are happy they are dealing with the same thing," he said.

The ERHA had put considerable resources into the identification of any 
addicts who exhibited the symptoms linked to the outbreak, assumed to be 
caused by contaminated heroin.

The main symptoms are a sudden, localised infection which appears near the 
site of heroin injection, often causing abscesses, he said. "It is a severe 
infection. They get what is known as systemic collapse."

ERHA personnel were currently trawling through coroner's records "looking 
at those deaths that have occurred among drug users", Dr Barry said. Staff 
at Dublin's 50 drug treatment centres had been alerted to watch for addicts 
with the symptoms and the authority had also established contacts with all 
the main hospitals.

The ERHA has set up a freephone helpline at 1 800 459 459 for drug-users 
concerned about their symptoms.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D