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Intensive Care Medicine
Published in: Intensive Care Medicine 5/2003

01-05-2003 | Correspondence

Wound botulism in an injecting drug abuser

Authors: G. L. Thomas, P. G. Haji-Michael

Published in: Intensive Care Medicine | Issue 5/2003

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Excerpt

Sir: Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic, Gram-positive, spore-bearing organism. Wound botulism amongst injecting drug users (IDUs) is an increasing problem [1, 2, 3] and is associated with an anaerobic environment following intramuscular or subcutaneous injection [1]. We report a case of early identification and treatment of an IDU with wound botulism. The patient presented with a rapidly descending flaccid paralysis requiring urgent respiratory support. She made a full recovery and was discharged home after 40 days. …
Literature
1.
Passaro DJ, Werner SB, McGee J, MacKenzie WR, Vugia DJ (1998) Wound botulism associated with black tar heroin among injecting drug users. JAMA 279:859–863CrossRef
2.
Mulleague L, Bonner SM, Samuel A, Nichols P, Khan M, Shaw S, Gruning T (2001) Wound botulism in drug addicts in the United Kingdom. Anaesthesia 56:120–123CrossRef
3.
Merrison AFA, Chidley KE, Dunnett J, Sieradzan KA (2002) Wound botulism associated with subcutaneous drug use. BMJ 325:1020–1021CrossRef
4.
Horowitz BZ, Swensen ES (1998) Wound botulism associated with black tar heroin JAMA 280:1479–1450
5.
Tacket CO, Shandera WX, Mann JM, Hargrett NT, Blake PA (1984) Equine antitoxin use and other factors that predict outcome in type A foodborne botulism. Am J Med 76:794–798CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Wound botulism in an injecting drug abuser
Authors
G. L. Thomas
P. G. Haji-Michael
Publication date
01-05-2003
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Intensive Care Medicine / Issue 5/2003
Print ISSN: 0342-4642
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1238
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-003-1712-4

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