BACKGROUND Several genes and their single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with either spontaneous resolution of hepatitis C infection or better treatment-induced viral clearance. We tested a cohort of intravenous drug users (IVDU) diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) for treatment response and its association with the SNPs in the interleukin-6 (rs1800795-IL6) and the in...

BACKGROUND The United States is experiencing a rapidly increasing rate of opioid drug abuse. Intravenous use (IVDU)‐related endocarditis can lead to significant neurological complications with high morbidity and mortality. When patient care necessitates anticoagulation, the standards for radiographic screening risk intracranial hemorrhage are not clearly elucidated. METHODS We conducted retrosp...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate potential changes of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients treated in a Finnish teaching hospital during the past 25 years. PATIENTS 326 episodes of IE in 303 patients treated during 1980-2004 were evaluated for clinical characteristics and their changes over time. RESULTS The mean age of the patients increased with time (from 47.2 to 54.5 years, p = 0.003). Twenty-...

INTRODUCTION Patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in general have engaged in at risk sexual behaviour. Therefore they are at increased risk of acquiring HIV through sexual contact. OBJECTIVE To determine the HIV prevalence among patients attending a STD clinic in Amsterdam. METHODS An anonymous cross sectional study was conducted in two 5-week periods in Sprin...

The risk factors related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection showed geographic and temporal differences. We investigated HCV-related risk factors in Korea where intravenous drug use (IVDU) is uncommon. The HCV-related risk factors were investigated in a prospective, multicenter chronic HCV cohort (n = 711) using a standardized questionnaire in four university hospitals. The results were compar...

According to new published data, HIV/AIDS infection currently knows an increase of 8% for the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This happened in our country too, where a new way to get started HIV appeared: intravenous drugs used of so-called soft, legal drugs (ethnobotanicals) near the classic heroin. Objectives: To study the impact of HIV infection and the trend in mortality in a ...

Abstract Introduction Intravenous drug use (IVDU) associated infective endocarditis (IE) is a clinically challenging case. Not only can the natural history of IE in IVDU population be significantly different, making detection diagnostic dilemma, additional social factors with this drastically change management, including suitability for surgery or long-term intravenous access antibiotics Furthe...

The gold standard of varicocele management is microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy. This procedure leads to better preservation the testicular artery and lymphatic vessels. However, sometimes several vessels were in complex position causing dissection be more difficult. By using IVDU, arteries veins could identified acquire sperm outcomes. It's uncertain if Doppler Ultrasonography has a ro...

Septic thrombophlebitis is characterized by venous thrombosis, inflammation and bacteremia, that can lead to fatal complications such as sepsis, septic emboli and even death. Though most commonly caused by indwelling catheters, it is also related to intravenous drug users (IVDU) especially those who attempt to inject drugs into more proximal and central veins. Lemierre's syndrome, also referred...

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is responsible for a wide range of both invasive and noninvasive infections. Severe invasive group A streptococcal infection is associated with morbidity and mortality and has been linked to chronic medical conditions with skin and soft tissues involvement, and intravenous drug use (IVDU). Invasive diseases are, however, rare and have been recognized to affect the ex...