Bacterial infection related to IV drug users...

[MudPhud20XX]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So it could be either Staph. aureus or Staph. epidermidis right? Which is more highly associated with a hx of IV drug users?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[J ROD]

S. aureus

 

[notbobtrustme]

the two biggies are S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, especially in diabetics.

When you see S. epidermidis, think instrumentation in the body. Valves, prosthetics, pacemakers, etc etc.

 

[igcgnerd]

Location is also a big issue. I will give you an example.
S. epididimis. Very much associated with IV drug use and prosthetic heart valves.
However, IV drug use is 99% of the time associated with R sided heart pathology. They inject drugs into their veins and it munches on the valves on the right side. One study I read looked at endocarditis in known iv drug users. 98% of over 1000 cases involved R sided valves.

 

[Transposony]

Location only becomes a big issue when epididimis ends up in heart