Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Intracameral Injection in Rats with Low Risk of Adverse Effects
Published on: May 31, 2024
Hospital-Admitted Injection-Related Infections Among Incarcerated People Who Inject Drugs in Australia: A
Andrew Palmer1,2,3, Matthew Carter2, Jeremy Yeo1,2,3
1Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
Objectives:
To characterise the clinical, microbiological and economic burden of hospital-admitted, injection-related infections among incarcerated people who inject drugs.
Study Type:
Retrospective observational cohort study.
Setting:
Secure unit of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Participants:
Adults incarcerated in Queensland prisons who were admitted to hospital with an injection-related infection between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2023.
Main Outcome Measures:
Types of injection-related infection, microbiological findings, requirement for surgical or radiological source control, hospital length of stay and inpatient healthcare costs.
Results:
There were 321 hospital admissions for injection-related infection among 265 patients, accounting for 282 unique infections. Most patients were male (241; 90.9%), with a mean age of 33 years (standard deviation [SD], 7.4 years), and 76 (28.7%) identified as First Nations. The most frequent infections were soft tissue infections (77/282; 27.3%), acute hepatitis C (64/282; 22.7%) and cellulitis (43/282; 15.2%). Surgical or radiological source control was required in 95 infections (34.0%), and infectious diseases consultation occurred in 130 infections (46.1%). Among 39 true-positive blood cultures, Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 17 (43.6%), Burkholderia species in 10 (25.6%) and non-tuberculous Mycobacterium species in 3 (7.7%). Among the 218 non-acute hepatitis C infections, 50 (22.9%) were hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA positive. Overall, HCV RNA was present in 114 of 282 infections (40.4%). The total inflation-adjusted inpatient cost was $8.39 million, with a median cost per infection of $11,602 (interquartile range, $7426-$34,544).
Conclusion:
Injection-related infections among incarcerated people who inject drugs were associated with substantial morbidity and healthcare costs in this large hospital cohort. A wide clinical spectrum was observed, including atypical pathogens, and clinically overt acute hepatitis C requiring hospital admission. These findings describe a significant burden of preventable disease in custodial settings and support the introduction of established primary prevention and harm-reduction interventions in prisons.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:26Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies. Common...
01:25Endocarditis I: Introduction
01:21Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Repetitive IV Injections
01:24Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Intermittent IV Infusions
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...