Can IV drug use cause osteomyelitis?

Can IV drug use cause osteomyelitis?

Comorbidities such as skin infections, abscesses, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis have increased prevalence in patients who abuse IV drugs.

Why does IV drug use cause spinal abscess?

Abuse of intravenous drugs has been associated with a higher prevalence of spinal abscess due, in part, to hematogenous spread of bacteria from contaminated syringes and needles .

Can you get a bone infection from an injection?

Skeletal infections in injection drug users have an insidious onset, present with indolent symptoms, and often occur in unusual locations. Unless physicians are familiar with the disease entities unique to the injection drug user, the diagnosis is frequently delayed. Systemic signs of infection are often lacking.

Does osteomyelitis require IV antibiotics?

Initial Antibiotic Therapy for Treatment of Osteomyelitis in Adults. IV = intravenously. Information from references 31 and 32. Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in children typically requires a much shorter course of antibiotic therapy than does chronic osteomyelitis in adults.

Why do drug users get osteomyelitis?

The complications of chronic osteomyelitis include pathological fracture, amyloid disease, and squamous cell carcinoma in a sinus. The organisms that usually cause chronic osteomyelitis in intravenous drug users are Gram‐negative rods such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram‐positive cocci such as staphylococci.

Why do IV drug users get cellulitis?

Injecting bacteria from used or dirty needles or failing to clean the skin before an injection can cause several types of infections. The most common infection that affects people who inject drugs is cellulitis. Cellulitis is a type of infection that affects the skin and the tissue underneath.

How do you get osteomyelitis of the spine?

Vertebral osteomyelitis is the most common form of vertebral infection. It can develop from direct open spinal trauma, infections in surrounding areas and from bacteria that spreads to a vertebra from the blood.

What happens if osteomyelitis is left untreated?

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection. Osteonecrosis is what happens if the bone infection is left untreated; the bone dies. According to the National Library of Medicine, symptoms of osteomyelitis are, “bone pain, fever, general feeling of discomfort, local swelling, redness, warmth and nausea.”

What specialist treats osteomyelitis?

Care for osteomyelitis at Rush. Depending on where the infection occurs, you might be cared for by an orthopedic surgeon or skull base surgeon , as well as an infectious disease specialist. Successful treatment might also involve specialists from other departments, such as general surgery, vascular surgery and plastic surgery.

What doctor treats osteomyelitis?

Osteomyelitis differences in children and adults. Osteomyelitis tends to affect different bones in children and adults: Care for osteomyelitis at Rush. Depending on where the infection occurs, you might be cared for by an orthopedic surgeon or skull base surgeon, as well as an infectious disease specialist.

How long to treat osteomyelitis?

Patients with osteomyelitis usually need to be hospitalized. They typically receive antibiotics for 4 to 6 weeks to combat the infection. At first, the medication is given intravenously, but patients may be switched to oral (by mouth) medicine as the treatment continues and their condition improves.