Killer drug alert to heroin users after 40 deaths

Warning leaflets are being posted at specialist drug clinics, doctors' surgeries, primary care groups and accident and emergency departments around County Durham, warning of the hazards.

Initial concerns were that heroin had been contaminated with anthrax, but it is now understood a tetanus-type bacteria, Clostridium novyi, is killing drug users who inject.

The alert follows the deaths, from unexplained illness, of about 40 heroin addicts in the past few weeks.

Most of the deaths have occurred in Dublin, Glasgow and Manchester, with a few cases in North-East Scotland.

Northumbria Police raised concern last week that contaminated narcotics could be responsible for the heroin-related deaths of two Tynesiders, but a spokesperson said yesterday that preliminary post-mortem reports for those deaths showed no signs of contaminated heroin.

County Durham health officials are giving intravenous drug users urgent advice.

A leaflet distributed yesterday says: "Doctors think that an infection of the muscle tissue of these drug users gets steadily worse over a few days.

"Eventually the bacteria in the muscle release enough toxin into the bloodstream to cause a very severe illness which often leads to rapid death."

Durham and Darlington Drug Action Team coordinator David Cliff said the health alert was a measure to save lives.

"We are recognising there have been deaths elsewhere, and a couple of deaths within the region," he said.

"Clearly, in line with a lot of what we do in Durham, we are looking to ensure there is as much early warning for people as possible. We certainly do not want to raise alarm."

The leaflet gives step-by-step advice to drug users on how to avoid infection when injecting drugs.

Mr Cliff said: "We would prefer no one to use drugs but in this day we have to accept it is happening.

"We would rather people did not inject but if they do then we hope they inject safely."

mparke