header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
June 23
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies


Scanning electromicrograph of an HIV-infected H9 T-cell

Scanning electromicrograph of an HIV-infected H9 T-cell. Photo courtesy of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

The United States faces a converging public health crisis as the nation’s opioid epidemic fuels growing rates of certain infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, heart infections, and skin and soft tissue infections.

Infectious disease and substance use disorder professionals must work together to stem the mounting public health threat, according to a new commentary in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The article was co-authored by officials from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Since 1999, nearly 400,000 people in the United States have fatally overdosed on opioid-containing drugs, with 47,600 deaths in 2017 alone. Many people with opioid use disorder (OUD), who initially were prescribed oral drugs to treat pain, now inject prescribed or illegal opioids. High-risk injection practices such as needle-sharing are causing a surge in infectious diseases. Additionally, risky sexual behaviors associated with injection drug use have contributed to the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

Infectious disease health professionals can play an important role in addressing the problem by not only treating a patient’s injection drug use-associated infection but also connecting the patient for treatment of their underlying OUD, the authors write. For example, coupling opioid agonist therapy, such as methadone, with treatment for HIV or hepatitis C, can prevent further transmission of those viruses and reduce opioid use. Comprehensive treatment will result in improved outcomes for both the infectious disease and the underlying OUD, according to the authors.

Conversely, substance use disorder health providers should screen their patients for unrecognized infectious diseases and consult with their infectious disease colleagues regarding a comprehensive treatment plan. Substance use disorder professionals also should be aware of and direct patients to needle and syringe programs, which can decrease injection risks and provide an opportunity to provide other services as well.

New federal resources made available to address the growing opioid epidemic can assist health professionals in improving and implementing coordinated, evidence-based strategies to prevent and treat OUD and opioid-associated infections. These efforts will be key to stemming and ultimately ending the intertwined problem of OUD and infectious disease, according to the commentary.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Friday, Jun 20, 2025
June 28: Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day at Acton Park
Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day will be held Saturday, June 28, at Acton Park, noon to 9 p.m.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Pioneer Oil Refinery Park Opens to the Public in Newhall
The Pioneer Oil Refinery off of Pine Street in Newhall was built in 1877 by California Star Oil works, forming the foundation for the West Coast oil industry. Benzene and kerosene were the main products made in the refinery and were later sold locally in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Santa Clarita Hiring for Positions at Hart Park
Love the outdoors? Passionate about community programs? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring part-time Recreation Leaders to help bring events, camps and nature programs to life at William S. Hart Park.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies
1972 - Vasquez Rocks added to National Register of Historic Places [list]
Vasquez Rocks
The Agua Dulce Women's Club Community Blood Drive will be held Wednesday, June 25, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at 33201 Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Agua Dulce, CA 91390.
June 25: Agua Dulce Women’s Club Community Blood Drive
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees will be held Tuesday, June 24 beginning at 6:40 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m.
June 24: Saugus Union School District Board Regular Meeting
1941 - Ernie Hickson buys out Trem Carr's interest in their Monogram movie ranch, renames it "Placeritos" (later called Melody) [story]
Ernie Hickson
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a meeting Wednesday, June 25, beginning with a closed session at 2:30 p.m. The open session begins at 5 p.m.
June 25: COC Board to Conduct Self-Evaluation Retreat
The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, the longest-running and largest food assistance organization in the SCV, has been selected by Albertsons Companies to receive a $30,000 makeover grant.
SCV Food Pantry to Receive $30K ‘Makeover’ from Albertsons
The Samuel Dixon Family Health Center invites the community to the Third Annual Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, June 21 at 11 a.m. at Lucky Luke Brewing Company.
June 21: Sam Dixon Cornhole Tournament at Lucky Luke Brewing
Calling all Los Angeles County artists and performers. If you're part of a dance, music, vocal, musical theater or circus group, you are encouraged to apply to be part of the 66th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration.
Performers Sought for Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration
The Castaic Union School District Governing Board will hold its regular meeting Thursday, June 26 at 6 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5 p.m.
June 26: CUSD Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day will be held Saturday, June 28, at Acton Park, noon to 9 p.m.
June 28: Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day at Acton Park
For one weekend only, Matchbox Theatre Co. is bringing its inaugural production of Johnna Adams’ "World Builders" to The MAIN.
June 27-29: Matchbox Theatre to Present ‘World Builders’ at The MAIN
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area will host its "Pride Outside," event 4-7 p.m. Sunday, June 29.
June 29: Pride Outside at Vasquez Rocks
Caltrans has announced overnight lane reductions are scheduled on northbound and southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) south of Templin Highway starting Monday, June 23 for pavement rehabilitation.
June 23-27: Castaic Area I-5 Lane Closures
2002 - "Legacy: Santa Clarita's Living History" series debuts on SCVTV with "Placerita Gold" episode [watch]
Legacy
The Pioneer Oil Refinery off of Pine Street in Newhall was built in 1877 by California Star Oil works, forming the foundation for the West Coast oil industry. Benzene and kerosene were the main products made in the refinery and were later sold locally in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Pioneer Oil Refinery Park Opens to the Public in Newhall
Old Town Newhall will host a "Sip into Summer" Bar Crawl, 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21 on Main Street.
June 21: Sip into Summer Bar Crawl On Main Street
I wanted to share a quick legislative update from Sacramento. We recently reached the deadline to send bills from the Senate to the Assembly in order to continue moving them through the legislative process this session.
Suzette Martinez Valladares | Report from the State Senate
The city of Santa Clarita is seeking Youth Basketball Coaches for the 2025 summer season.
Santa Clarita Volunteer Youth Basketball Coaches Needed
Love the outdoors? Passionate about community programs? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring part-time Recreation Leaders to help bring events, camps and nature programs to life at William S. Hart Park.
Santa Clarita Hiring for Positions at Hart Park
Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita will host a performance suspension workshop, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 28 with a Q and A with experts from OHLINS Factory.
June 28: Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita Suspension Workshop
California Institute of the Arts was recently named in The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Top Animation Schools list for 2025.
CalArts Named One of ‘The Hollywood Reporter’s’ Top Animation Schools for 2025
ARTree Community Arts Center in collaboration with Santa Clarita Public Library are seeking teen volunteers to help create a bottle cap mural.
ARTree, Santa Clarita Library Seeks Volunteers for Bottle Cap Mural
SCVNews.com