4 Drugs That Increase the Risk of Infectious Diseases

This is a guest post by James White.

The consequences of drug use continue to add up.

As researchers study the effects of drugs — both long-term and short-term — more information comes forward that explains how detrimental it can be to the health and well-being of users.

One of the effects researchers have discovered is an increased risk for infectious diseases.

What Are Infectious Diseases?

Bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi are all around us every single day. While most of these organisms are harmless, some of them can cause diseases.

The most common ways for people to contract an infectious disease are from:

• Other people
• Insects
• Animals
• Contaminated food and water
• Exposure to the organism
• Drug users are more likely to contract infectious diseases from other people.

Infectious Disease Risks for Drug Users

There are many infectious diseases, but drug users are only at increased risk for some of them. These diseases are:

• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• AIDS
• Tuberculosis (TB)

4 Drugs That Increase the Risk of Infectious Diseases

People who use the following drugs are more at risk for infectious disease:

#1 Heroin

Hepatitis B and C are infectious diseases those who use heroin may contract. Risk comes from sharing used syringes. These syringes may contain the blood of someone who already has the disease. When someone who doesn’t have the disease uses it, the organisms can be passed to the uninfected person.

In 2010, 20 percent of U.S. heroin users suffered from hepatitis B, and 53 percent of those affected with hepatitis C were users.

Heroin users are also at risk for HIV/AIDs due to the increased risk of unprotected sex. Semen can carry the infectious disease and infect the person during intercourse.

Mental illness can be a compounding factor in the risk of infectious diseases for heroin users. Poor judgment, hallucinations and other symptoms of mental illness can lead sufferers to use heroin in an attempt to self-medicate, which leads them to other risky behavior that increases their risk for HIV/AIDs and hepatitis. 

#2 Cocaine

Cocaine users face the same risks as heroin users do. Through sharing needles with infected people and engaging in the risky sexual behavior, cocaine users are at increased risk for hepatitis B and C, and HIV/AIDS.

Risk increases as soon as a cocaine user shares a needle with someone else. The risk increases with each share, and within two years of use, 40 percent of those injecting are infected with hepatitis C. Within five years, 50 to 80 percent of users are infected.

#3 Steroids

Steroids have many negative side effects such as breast growth in men, facial hair in women, acne, cysts, cardiovascular disease and increased risk for infectious diseases. Similarly to heroin and cocaine users, steroid users may share needles contaminated with blood from an infected person. This can lead to the transmission of HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis B and C.

In addition to these diseases, steroid users are at risk for another serious condition — endocarditis. This is a bacterial infection causing inflammation in the heart. When untreated, this infection can destroy heart valves and be life-threatening. Antibiotics are available to treat the infection, but if not caught early, surgery may be necessary.

#4 Methamphetamine

While methamphetamine has the same risks because of sharing needles and syringes, there’s an additional risk factor for meth users. The drug increases users’ libidos and lowers their inhibitions. This can lead them to engage in risky sexual behaviors, increasing the chances of contracting HIV/AIDS.

In addition to the possibility of contracting HIV/AIDS, meth users who are already affected can quicken the progression of the disease with the use of the drug. Animal studies have shown that methamphetamine replicates the virus inside of the body quickly.

Tuberculosis Risk and HIV

Drug users who have HIV have an increased risk for tuberculosis. This infectious disease attacks individuals with a weak immune system. The HIV infection weakens the immune system, and when a drug user is in proximity to someone with the disease, he or she is more likely to contract it. It is transmitted by air when the person with TB does one of the following:

• Sneezes
• Speaks
• Coughs
• Sings

TB is just as serious as HIV and can be fatal if not treated. Many drug users who test positive for HIV are tested for TB to ensure they don’t need to be treated for both. 

Hopefully, with education and effective drug treatment programs, drug users will be able to decrease their risk for infectious diseases before it’s too late.

James White is the blogger behind and works as a content creator for a rehab center. Find him on Twitter @JGtheSavage