Epidemiological update: Anthrax outbreak among drug users in UK and Germany

A total of 33 cases of anthrax infection have been confirmed in Scotland since the beginning of December 2009 among heroin users, including 11 fatal cases; the latest case was reported on 12 April 2010 from the Lothian NHS board and is alive.

The cases occurred in the catchment areas of NHS Forth Valley (1 case – 1 death), NHS Tayside (3 cases – 2 deaths), NHS Lanarkshire (4 cases – all alive), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area (15 cases – including 7 deaths), Ayrshire and Arran (1 case, alive), NHS Fife (3 cases – 1 death) and NHS Dumfries & Galloway (5 case – all alive). Health Protection Scotland is regularly updating the information on the web.

As of 16 April 2010, the UK health authorities reported 3 confirmed case of anthrax among injecting heroin users in England, 2 in HPA London region (1 death) and 1 in HPA North West Region (1 death). The UK Health Protection Agency is regularly updating the information for England.

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