10 Anthrax-deaths after i.m. heroin-injection

[bogumil]

Here is an article, which says that in the UK in 2000 10 people dies of Anthrax after they injected heroin intramuscular instead of i.v.

The reason is that in the muscle the bacteria can breed way better than in the bloodstream.

http://www.aerzte-zeitung.de/docs/2000/05/25/096a1604.asp

But what I find way more interesting is, that it seems like there are people in the heroin-producing countries, who add anthrax-powder to the heroin! I meaqn this is an attack on the people who use it. Or can Anthrax enter the heroin accidently. From what I know it usually is only produced as bio-weapon and not very common otherwise.

[Paregoric Kid]

"Anthrax, a disease of mammals and humans, is caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Bacillus anthracis" found in nature. the spores can be found in some soil and it can be spread from there to insects and animals.
there's no reason to believe it was intentionally contaminated.

[jacky]

yes, paragoric is correct sir, anthrax exists in nature, people have died from just exposing cuts to mud that carries anthrax.
from what I have heard, all it takes to make anthrax is 20 cows, and the know how. something about using the cows blood, cleaning it, and concentrating the anthrax.

but that is not what we are doing here at opiophile, just warning people of the possibility.

[bogumil]

Yeah, I know. It sounded like one of this terrorism-fanatics-help-me-the-bad-msulim-wants-to-kill-me-posts.

I just thought that anthrax has been eliminated from the planet ...

Still, IM seems not to be the safest thing.