Infections requiring hospitalization of injection drug users who participated in an injection opiate maintenance program

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of hospitalizations due to infection in 175 injection drug users was performed for the 3 years before and the period during their participation in an injection opiate maintenance program (mean duration during program, 2.6 years). Skin infections were the main reason for hospitalization. The injection opiate maintenance program did not reduce the incidence of infection leading to hospitalization among the injection drug users studied. © 2002 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.