- The source of the infection is presumed to be contaminated heroin
- The drug user's death follows a spate of cases in Europe since early June
- Experts say the risk to the general population is negligible
A drug user has died after being infected with anthrax, health experts said. The Health Protection Agency said that a person who injected drugs died in hospital in Blackpool. The name of the person or the hospital has not been disclosed. The HPA said the source of the infection is presumed to be contaminated heroin. The news comes after a spate of cases in Europe since early June. The HPA said it is 'unclear' whether the case in Blackpool and another case in Scotland - which was confirmed at the end of July - are linked to the European outbreak. Anthrax is a rare bacterial infection and is primarily a disease of herbivorous mammals, though other animals and some birds can also contract it. Bacillus anthracis spores can survive in the environment for years or decades. Dependent on the dose and route of exposure, the symptoms may develop within a week of taking heroin.
