Bacterial Infections in People Who Inject Psychoactive Substances

In context of an increase of bacterial infections in people who inject psychoactive substances (PS) all around the world and a lack of available scientific data, the investigators decided to set up a descriptive study on bacterial infection types and determinants in Injection Drug Users (IDUs).

Through a multidisciplinary approach between hospital departments (e.g. infectious diseases, emergency and addictology), the local addiction management and liaison team (ELSA) and the regional addictovigilance center, data were collected on appearance and course of bacterial infections in IDUs hospitalized at Montpellier University Hospital, France.

This study aims to provide medical data in order to better understand those infections and their determinants and provide information for potential future more specific observational studies.

The regional addictovigilance center is a member of the French Addictovigilance Network, which was established to monitor the potential for abuse and dependence of PS, and to provide information on the risk of addiction and advice for public health decision making, under the supervision of the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety. This surveillance system is principally based on spontaneous reporting by healthcare professionals and patients that is regulated by law. Collected data were extracted from those spontaneous reports (composed by data from the medical file*, DxCare or notification by medical team). First data were collected in 2012.

In addition, the investigators offered patients to fill in an anonymous questionnaire** on hygiene habits which was not mandatory and had no influence on treatment, and was offered during the ELSA team intervention (questions from the questionnaire are classical risk reduction question on injection and hygiene practices).