Volume 6, Number 2—April 2000
Dispatch
Outbreak among Drug Users Caused by a Clonal Strain of Group A Streptococcus
Lorenz M. Böhlen, Kathrin Mühlemann
, Olivier Dubuis, Christoph Aebi, and Martin G. Täuber
, Olivier Dubuis, Christoph Aebi, and Martin G. TäuberTable
Sociodemographic and drug use habits of 19 drug users with group A streptococcal infection and 55 healthy controls, Berne, Switzerland, 1997
| Cases | Controls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n=19 | n=55 | Odds | ||||
| Variable | N | % | N | % | Ratio | 95% CIa |
| Age | ||||||
| Mean (yrs) | 30.3 | 30.7 | ||||
| Range (yrs) | 20-43 | 21-48 | ||||
| Sex | ||||||
| Male | 9 | 47.4 | 38 | 69.1 | Ref. | 0.76-8.26 |
| Female | 10 | 52.6 | 17 | 30.9 | 2.48 | |
| Employed | ||||||
| No | 12 | 63.2 | 33 | 60.0 | Ref. | |
| Yes | 6 | 31.6 | 15 | 27.3 | 1.10 | 0.30-4.00 |
| Unknown | 1 | 5.3 | 7 | 12.7 | ||
| Daytime shelter | ||||||
| Home or work | 7 | 36.9 | 20 | 36.4 | Ref. | |
| Street | 8 | 42.1 | 20 | 36.4 | 1.14 | 0.30-4.40 |
| Unknown | 4 | 21.1 | 15 | 27.2 | ||
| Nighttime shelter | ||||||
| Home | 14 | 73.7 | 29 | 52.7 | Ref. | |
| Street | 3 | 15.8 | 10 | 18.2 | 0.62 | 0.10-3.06 |
| Unknown | 2 | 10.5 | 16 | 29.1 | ||
| Sharing of paraphernalia for drug use | ||||||
| Filter | ||||||
| No | 9 | 47.4 | 34 | 61.8 | Ref. | |
| Yes | 8 | 42.1 | 21 | 38.2 | 1.44 | 0.42-4.92 |
| Unknown | 2 | 10.5 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Spoon | ||||||
| No | 8 | 42.1 | 28 | 50.9 | Ref. | |
| Yes | 9 | 47.4 | 27 | 49.1 | 1.08 | 0.32-3.68 |
| Unknown | 2 | 10.5 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Needle | ||||||
| No | 15 | 78.9 | 49 | 89.1 | Ref. | |
| Yes | 1 | 5.3 | 5 | 9.1 | 0.65 | 0.03-6.68 |
| Unknown | 3 | 15.8 | 1 | 1.8 | ||
| Cocaine heating | ||||||
| No | 16 | 84.2 | 35 | 63.6 | ||
| Yes | 0 | 0.0 | 6 | 10.9 | p = 0.17 | |
| Unknown | 3 | 15.8 | 14 | 25.5 | ||
| Mode of drug use | ||||||
| Intravenousb | 17 | 89.3 | 55 | 100.0 | ||
| Mucosal only | 1 | 5.3 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Unknown | 1 | 5.3 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Illegal drug used | ||||||
| Cocaine | 2 | 10.5 | 7 | 127 | ||
| Heroin | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 3.6 | ||
| Both | 16 | 84.2 | 46 | 83.6 | ||
| Unknown | 1 | 5.3 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Methadone programc | ||||||
| No18 | 94.7 | 40 | 72.7 | Ref. | ||
| Yes | 1 | 5.3 | 15 | 27.3 | 0.15 | 0.01-1.23 |
| No. of drug use(s) | ||||||
| <1 per day | 4 | 21.1 | 21 | 38.2 | Ref. | |
| >1 per day | 13 | 68.4 | 29 | 52.7 | 2.35 | 0.59-10.04 |
| Unknown | 2 | 10.5 | 5 | 9.1 | ||
| Cocaine used | ||||||
| <1 g per day | 7 | 36.8 | 30 | 54.5 | Ref. | |
| >1 g per day | 8 | 42.1 | 10 | 18.2 | 3.43 | 0.84-14.34 |
| Unknown | 4 | 21.1 | 15 | 27.3 | ||
| Nationality of dealer(s) | ||||||
| Not A | 4 | 21.1 | 15 | 27.3 | Ref. | |
| Only A | 6 | 31.6 | 13 | 23.6 | 1.73d | 0.32-9.59 |
| Several including A | 4 | 21.1 | 20 | 36.4 | ||
| Unknown5 | 26.3 | 712.7 | ||||
| Dealer location | ||||||
| Place X | 8 | 42.1 | 1 | 1.8 | 27.43 | 2.57-696.75 |
| Other places | 7 | 36.8 | 24 | 43.6 | Ref. | P <0.001 |
| Not Berne | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1.8 | ||
| Unknown | 4 | 21.1 | 29 | 52.7 | ||
a95% confidence interval
bIncludes combined intravenous and mucosal drug use for one case and seven controls.
cGovernment-approved methadone program.
dComparing "only nationality A" and "not A."
