Injection of new psychoactive substance snow blow associated with recently acquired HIV infections among homeless people who inject drugs in Dublin, Ireland, 2015

Euro Surveill. 2015;20(40). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.40.30036.

Abstract

In February 2015, an outbreak of recently acquired HIV infections among people who inject drugs (PWID) was identified in Dublin, following similar outbreaks in Greece and Romania in 2011. We compared drug and risk behaviours among 15 HIV cases and 39 controls. Injecting a synthetic cathinone, snow blow, was associated with recent HIV infection (AOR: 49; p=0.003). Prevention and control efforts are underway among PWID in Dublin, but may also be needed elsewhere in Europe.

Keywords: People who Inject drugs; case-control study; human immunodeficiency virus - HIV; new psychoactive substance; α-PVP.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Designer Drugs / administration & dosage
  • Designer Drugs / analysis
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Drug Users / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis*
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Humans
  • Ill-Housed Persons*
  • Incidence
  • Ireland / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychotropic Drugs / administration & dosage*
  • Psychotropic Drugs / urine
  • Pyrrolidines / administration & dosage*
  • Pyrrolidines / urine
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk-Taking
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / epidemiology

Substances

  • Designer Drugs
  • Psychotropic Drugs
  • Pyrrolidines
  • alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone