High prevalence of abscesses and cellulitis among community-recruited injection drug users

The prevalence of and risk factors for abscesses and cellulitis were investigated among a community sample of injection drug users (IDUs). Participants were interviewed, and those with symptoms were examined. Of 169 IDUs, 54 (32%) had abscesses (), cellulitis (n = 35 n =), or both (); 27 % had lanced their own abscesses; and 16 % had self-treated with5 n = 14 antibiotics they purchased on the street. IDUs who skin-popped (injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly) were more likely to have an abscess or cellulitis than those who had injected only intravenously (odds ratio, 4.9; 95 % con®dence interval, 2.2±11). The likelihood of ab-scesses and cellulitis increased with frequency of skin-popping and decreased with increasing duration of injection drug use. Abscesses are extremely prevalent among IDUs in San Fran-cisco. Skin-popping is a major risk factor, and self-treatment is common. Abscesses and cellulitis are a common problem among in-jection drug users (IDUs). Few previous studies have examined the prevalence of and risk factors for abscesses among IDUs. In this cross-sectional survey of street-recruited IDUs, we es-timated the prevalence of abscesses and cellulitis among IDUs by examining all participants who reported symptoms of loca