BACTERIOLOGY OF SKIN AND SOFT-TISSUE INFECTIONS - COMPARISON OF INFECTIONS IN INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH NO HISTORY OF INTRAVENOUS DRUG-USE

The bacteriology of cutaneous or subcutaneous abscesses (86 specimens) among intravenous drug users (IVDUs) was compared with the bacteriolo gy of abscesses (74 specimens) in patients with no history of intraven ous drug use (non-IVDUs). The IVDU abscesses yielded 173 aerobes and 1 31 anaerobes. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common aerobe isolate d (50% of specimens yielded this isolate), followed by ''Streptococcus milleri'' (46%). The commonly encountered anaerobes were Fusobacteriu m nucleatum (17%), pigmented Prevotella species (22%), Peptostreptococ cus micros (17%), Actinomyces odontolyticus (15%), and Veillonella spe cies (13%). The non-IVDU isolates included 116 aerobes and 106 anaerob es. S. aureus was isolated from 53% of these specimens, followed by co agulase-negative staphylococci (19%), ''S. milleri'' (19%), and Strept ococcus pyogenes (16%). The main groups of anaerobes were Peptostrepto coccus species (35%), Bacteroides species (19%), and gram-positive bac illi (31%). Overall, 67% of the IVDU isolates were of oral origin, com pared with 25% of the non-IVDU isolates. Of the specimens from IVDUs a nd non-IVDUs, 48% and 67%, respectively, yielded only aerobes, and 2% and 4%, respectively, yielded only anaerobes. Sixty-four percent of th e patients had one or more beta-lactamase-producing organisms.