Increase in diagnoses of recently acquired HIV in people who inject drugs

A multidisciplinary incident team has been set up by the Director of Public Health in Dublin to investigate and respond to the increase. The team includes public health and HIV Physicians, GPs providing services for drug users and homeless populations, HSE social inclusion, addiction clinicians, clinical virologist and HPSC. An epidemiological investigation is underway. Clinicians from the drug services are concerned that the increase is linked to injection of a synthetic cathinone PVP, street name Snow Blow, with consequent more frequent injecting, and unsafe sexual and needle sharing practices. This has mainly been seen in chaotic drug users, who report polydrug use, and are often homeless.  

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