Intravenous (IV) access is a common and essential emergency department procedure, which may be challenging in certain patients. Populations notorious for difficult IV access include injection drug users, diabetics, obese patients, or those in hypoperfusion states. Central venous catheter placement becomes the default solution when attempts at peripheral access prove unsuccessful. Yet, many pati...

results the most frequent risk factors for hcv infection were intravenous drug abuse (59.3%), unsafe sexual contact (30.5%), and history of being imprisoned (25.4%). the prevalence rate of depression in the hcv group was 55.9 % (95% ci: 42.99% - 68.87%) that was significantly higher than the corresponding rate of the control group as 17.7 % ( 95% ci: 8.49% - 28.79%) (p < 0.001). the severity of...

Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) was introduced in the rapidly developing semi-rural district of Tu Liem in Hanoi in December, 2009. Commune police play an integral role in determining which injecting drug users (IDUs) are eligible to commence and continue MMT. This case study highlights the importance of providing training to commune police about MMT to mitigate negative impacts drug law en...

Many Canadian cities are experiencing ongoing infectious disease and overdose epidemics among injection drug users (IDU). These health concerns have recently been exacerbated by the increasing availability and use of methamphetamine. The challenges of reducing health-related harms among IDU have led to an increased recognition that strategies to prevent initiation into injection drug use must r...

Human Herpes virus type-8 (HHV-8) seroprevalence was studied in a population of HIV positive intravenous drug users (IVDUs) from Argentina. Analysis of this population also indirectly made it possible to study HHV-8 blood transmission, because these individuals frequently engage in needle sharing behavior and are capable of acquiring a broad array of blood borne pathogens, including Hepatitis B...

A vaccination programme offering hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine at reception into prison has been introduced into selected prisons in England and Wales. Over the coming years it is anticipated this vaccination programme will be extended. A model has been developed to assess the potential impact of the programme on the vaccination coverage of prisoners, ex-prisoners, and injecting drug users (IDUs). ...