Abstract
BackgroundInjection drug use-associated endocarditis (IDUaIE) incidence in Ontario has recently been associated with hydromorphone prescribing rates. Staphylococcus aureus causes the majority of cases of IDUaIE in Ontario and across North America. Hydromorphone controlled-release (Hydromorphone-CR) requires a complex technique for injection and therefore provides multiple opportunities for contamination. Hydromorphone-CR contains several excipients, which could enhance staphylococcal survival and increase risk of contaminating the injectate.MethodsUsed injection drug preparation equipment (cookers/filters) was collected from persons who inject drugs (PWID), rinsed with water, and plated on Mannitol salt agar. Bacterial isolates from bacteremic PWID were used to assess the survival of S. aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes on cookers/filters with Hydromorphone-CR, hydromorphone immediate-release (Hydromorphone-IR) or oxycodone controlled-release (Oxycodone-CR). The solutions spiked with S. aureus were heated and the remaining viable bacteria enumerated.ResultsS. aureus was detected in 12/87 (14%, 95%CI 8–23%) cookers/filters samples used for injection of Hydromorphone-CR. Hydromorphone-CR was the only opioid associated with greater survival of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) on cookers/filters when compared to sterile water vehicle control. There was a ~2 log reduction in the number of S. aureus that survived when cookers/filters were heated.Conclusion14% of all cookers/filters used in the preparation of Hydromorphone-CR were contaminated with S. aureus. Hydromorphone-CR prolongs the survival of MRSA and MSSA in cookers/filters. Heating cookers/filters may be a harm-reduction strategy.
Highlights
Infective endocarditis is a potential complication of injection drug use that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality [1]
Hydromorphone-CR was the only opioid associated with greater survival of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) on cookers/filters when compared to sterile water vehicle control
In London, Ontario, S. aureus is by far the predominant organism with 77.2% of first episode cases of Injection Drug Use associated Endocarditis (IDUaIE) being caused by this organism (113/202 (55.9%) methicillin-sensitive S. aureus [MSSA] and 43/102 (21.3%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA])[2]
Summary
Infective endocarditis is a potential complication of injection drug use that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality [1]. Ontario has a high incidence of Injection Drug Use associated Endocarditis (IDUaIE) with 55% of all first episodes of Infective Endocarditis (IE) being IDUaIE [2]. This is in contrast to recent US surveys which have demonstrated that IDUaIE has been increasing, but still remains much less common with IDUaIE making up 8–13% of all IE cases [3,4]. Studies in many centers have demonstrated that S. aureus causes between 66–73% of all cases of endocarditis in PWID [5,6,7,8]. Injection drug use-associated endocarditis (IDUaIE) incidence in Ontario has recently been associated with hydromorphone prescribing rates. Hydromorphone-CR contains several excipients, which could enhance staphylococcal survival and increase risk of contaminating the injectate.
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