[Emerging pathologies and correlates of drug abuse in 2 therapeutic communities in Bergamo]

The authors monitored for 1 year 96 cases of ex-opiate addicts, belonging to two therapeutic Communities from Bergamo, a male and a female group, and a group of subjects living close to them (operators) or relatives and of laboratory technicians (51 cases on the whole). Protocols were set up with all the biochemical, hematological and serological parameters, to study the alterations connected with possible pathologies related to drug addiction, with repeated controls during the observation year. Only one LAS case was pointed out, at present markedly improved, a high incidence of hepatic involvement, due to previous hepatitis (type B or non A and non B), no alterations of kidney functions, while alterations of lymphocyte populations and subsets, thrombocytopenia, cross reactions with VDRL and negative TPHA, 45% of anti HTLV III antibody positive cases, were pointed out. Concerning the technicians and people living close to the examined subjects, no positivity for anti-HTLV III antibody, due to horizontal transmission of infection, was observed.