title: High prevalence of abscesses and cellulitis among community-recruited injection drug users in San Francisco.
abstract: The prevalence of and risk factors for abscesses and cellulitis were investigated among a community sample of injection drug users (IDUs). Participants were interviewed, and those with symptoms were examined. Of 169 IDUs, 54 (32%) had abscesses (n=35), cellulitis (n=5), or both (n=14); 27% had lanced their own abscesses; and 16% had self-treated with antibiotics they purchased on the street. IDUs who skin-popped (injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly) were more likely to have an abscess or cellulitis than those who had injected only intravenously (odds ratio, 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-11). The likelihood of abscesses and cellulitis increased with frequency of skin-popping and decreased with increasing duration of injection drug use. Abscesses are extremely prevalent among IDUs in San Francisco. Skin-popping is a major risk factor, and self-treatment is common.
authors.affiliation: Urban Health Study, Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-1304, USA. cinuhs@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Binswanger
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kral
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Bluthenthal
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rybold
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Edlin
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*