Skin and Soft Tissue Infections and Vascular Disease among Drug Users, England

To the Editor: The injecting of illicit drugs is associated with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) and vascular disease. These conditions include the development of cutaneous abscess and cellulitis at injection sites, from subcutaneous or intramuscular injecting, known as skin and muscle popping, and intravenous injecting. Intravenous injection is associated with phlebitis or thrombophlebitis, in which the vein may become infected. Inadvertent arterial injection, particularly when attempting to inject into the femoral vein, that is, "groin injecting," may cause arterial pseudoaneurysm.