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Author Spotlight: Advancing Pathogen Detection and Disease Assessment in Real-Time Using M-ROSE
Published on: March 1, 2024
Opioids and Infectious Diseases: A Converging Public Health Crisis
Tara A Schwetz1, Thomas Calder1, Elana Rosenthal2
1Office of the Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Abstract:
A converging public health crisis is emerging because the opioid epidemic is fueling a surge in infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus infection with or without AIDS, the viral hepatitides, infective endocarditis, and skin and soft-tissue infections. An integrated strategy is needed to tailor preventive and therapeutic approaches toward infectious diseases in people who misuse and/or are addicted to opioids and to concurrently address the underlying predisposing factor for the infections-opioid use disorder. This commentary highlights the unique and complementary roles that the infectious diseases and substance use disorder communities can play in addressing this crisis of dual public health concerns.
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