Injuries from Drug Needles in Urban Caches (UK)

[+WolverineX]

Apologies if this is not in a suitable section.

 

On Christmas day on our way to dinner at my mother-in-laws, we stopped for a quick drive by cache, and ended up in A&E for the remainder of the evening after one of my sons got a used needle stuck in his finger tip.

It is only the second report of a used needle seen at a urban cache within 10 miles of my home, unfortunately the first I have read of anyone actually injured by one.

It was just after 4pm and already dark, we had a torch, the GPS and a pen - we usually have gloves and short sticks to search, but this was a quick cache and dash! I will always use them now.

At A&E my son had bloods taken and was given a Hepatitis B Vaccine injection, he'll need another on 25th Jan another on 25th Feb and a final one on 25th Dec 2013, all in the Sexual Health Clinic at the Hospital, which I don't imagine is the nicest place for a young lad to be! After 6 months he'll have blood taken again and it'll be compared to the sample they took on the night. It could be 12 months before we find out our beautiful son has any serious infection or (hopefully) not. That's a long time to worry about a loved one.

I will also add, that I carefully removed the needle from the cache location and took it with us to the hospital in case they would need to examine it. If the needle has been out in the open and in the weather, there may be a lesser chance of infection as blood or bacteria could have been washed off. Also, made me wonder what kind of person discards something so dangerous, when there are plenty of places this scum can dispose of their drug equipment?

 

It got me thinking that had my wife not been an NHS Carer, would I have done the right things to lessen the chance of my son getting any infection? Would any fellow cacher?

So this is taken from the UK's NHS site.

 

Let's all be careful out there!

 

Actual link: NHS Website

 

What should I do if I injure myself with a used needle?

If you pierce or puncture your skin with a used needle, follow this first aid advice immediately:

 

• encourage the wound to bleed, ideally by holding it under running water
• wash the wound using running water and plenty of soap
• don't scrub the wound while you're washing it
• don't suck the wound
• dry the wound and cover it with a waterproof plaster or dressing

You should also seek urgent medical advice:

 

• go to the nearest A&E Department or
• contact your employer's Occupational Health service if you injure yourself at work

Needle-stick injuries

Injuries from needles used in medical procedures are sometimes called needle-stick or sharps injuries. Sharps can include other medical supplies, such as syringes, scalpels and lancets, and glass from broken equipment.

 

Once someone has used a needle, viruses in their blood may contaminate it. This includes needles used to inject illegal drugs. Blood can also contaminate sharps.

 

These viruses can pass on infections, such as hepatitis B.

 

Assessing your injury

The healthcare professional treating you will assess the risks to your health and ask about your injury, for example, how and when it happened, or who had used the needle.

 

Samples of your blood may need to be tested for infections such as hepatitis B and C, or HIV

 

Your healthcare professional may also arrange to test samples of the other person's blood, if they give their consent.

 

Will I need any treatment?

If your healthcare professional thinks you're at low risk of infection, you may not need any treatment.

 

If there's a higher risk of infection, you may need:

 

• antibiotic treatment, for example if you have cellulitis (infection of the skin)
• vaccination against hepatitis B
• treatment to prevent HIV

Edited December 27, 2012 by WolverineX

[+Sol seaker]

I'm Sorry this happened!!

Thanks for the useful information.

Probably the best piece of advice you gave was to be sure to bring a stick to search with.

A friend of mine has a mirror on a stick that comes in useful. We have avoided some nasty spots with this device. I'm going to get one of those too.

[hoosier guy]

Thanks for posting. Hope your boy is

ok.

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

I hope all is well. That is a long time to worry.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Sorry to hear about this, it must be a truly awful situation for you. Thank you for posting the safety reminder. From what I understand, the HIV virus is very fragile and cannot survive long. Hope everything works out.

[+WolverineX]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. The nurse at the hospital did play it down, saying there was only a slim chance of infection, whether she was just trying to reassure us or not - I don't know. Here's hoping!

[+The Cheeseheads]

I'm moving this to the regular geocaching topics section.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I looked up some stats.

 

IF the needle had hepatitis B, the risk of infection is 2 to 40 percent.

 

IF the needle had HIV, the risk of infection is 0.2 to 0.5 percent.

 

My guess is that's why they did the Hep B vaccines. Our children here are given hep B vaccines as babies.

 

http://hr.umich.edu/mhealthy/programs/occupational/ohs/manual/blood.html

 

Bloodborn Pathogens Risk Table

[+MartyBartfast]

I looked up some stats.

 

IF the needle had hepatitis B, the risk of infection is 2 to 40 percent.

 

IF the needle had HIV, the risk of infection is 0.2 to 0.5 percent.

 

My guess is that's why they did the Hep B vaccines. Our children here are given hep B vaccines as babies.

 

http://hr.umich.edu/mhealthy/programs/occupational/ohs/manual/blood.html

 

Bloodborn Pathogens Risk Table

 

I'm guessing those numbers are for a 'fresh' needle, hopefully the risks will be reduced for one which has been outside for some time.

 

I'm sure everything will turn out OK for the OP, fingers crossed!

[+Bushwalker53]

Wow that sounds nasty! There have been some drug needle reports around caches a few kms from home but no known injuries. I never use gloves but after reading this I'm going straight to the shed to get some! Littering is bad enough, but with dangerous drug paraphernalia is awful! I hope your son gets better. And as a 13 year old kid myself I would not like any of this to happen to me. The sexual health clinic doesn't sound like a nice place to spend time in! Good luck!

Bushwalker53.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Bushwalker53

[JohnX]

Sorry, I have to call BS on this post. I have lived in Amsterdam and Fargo, ND (Drug centers of the world) where I have removed dozens of needles from the streets. You would have to hold the used needle in one hand and jab it in the other in order to get stabbed. I admit needles are bad but don't spin people up with false fears. Call me a doubting Thomas or a negative Nellie. I just don't believe it happened.

[+MartyBartfast]

You would have to hold the used needle in one hand and jab it in the other in order to get stabbed.

 

Well that's patently nonsense, and while you may have lived in a couple of big cities you clearly don't have much experience of living in the real world.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Needlesticks are a real problem

 

"Needlestick injuries are a common event in the healthcare environment"

 

"Needlestick injuries are less frequent, yet still a serious concern among law enforcement"

 

"The frequency of such events has been estimated to be about 800,000 cases in the USA alone"

 

"Another investigation estimates the rates of injuries on a global level to affect about 3.5 million individuals"

Edited December 29, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[+WestSideDaddy]

Sorry, I have to call BS on this post. I have lived in Amsterdam and Fargo, ND (Drug centers of the world)

 

Fargo, ND a drug center? Now that I have to call BS on.

 

With the number of splinters and Buckthorn thorns I have been poked with, I can imagine a hidden needle just as easily piercing the skin.

[+oxford comma]

just as easy as accidentally poking mySelf with a sewing needle that got stuck in the carpet, or getting jabbed with a pine needle while looking for a ptc . or use the example of rummaging around in a drawer and accidentally poking your finger with a tack or safety pin. in zero of the instances was i holding the sharp object with my other hand.

[+sparklefingers]

Can I ask what area in the UK it was? I think it would be a good idea to let other cachers know so they can be aware of this.

 

I normally only go to urban caches but like to visit larger caches as a rule when opening caches I wear gardening gloves and look around caches visually before moving anything. I will also move things around with a pen before digging my hand into a box.

[+littlegemsy]

Sorry, I have to call BS on this post. I have lived in Amsterdam and Fargo, ND (Drug centers of the world) where I have removed dozens of needles from the streets. You would have to hold the used needle in one hand and jab it in the other in order to get stabbed. I admit needles are bad but don't spin people up with false fears. Call me a doubting Thomas or a negative Nellie. I just don't believe it happened.

 

 

Yes, because obviously the most fun a regular geocacher (190 finds so not joined and done 1) could have is coming on the forum and writing an informative post about needles that was made up.

 

 

Anyway, sorry for you and your son - the risks are thankfully small but I know that won't stop the worrying - a great post though as it'd never crossed my mind to look out for them. Good care advice too. And many fingers crossed that your son will be fine.

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

I never use gloves but after reading this I'm going straight to the shed to get some!

 

Just don't have a false sense of security out there, BW. The gloves from your shed will most likely offer no protection from a needle stick. Gloves that offer that protection can cost $50 US or more. Best advice, keep eyes on task and use a stick to poke around.

[Luckless]

So sorry to hear that about your son. I know some parents on this forum make a practice of dumping out the contents of a cache onto a piece of cloth and looking through it before allowing their kids to handle the stuff.

[+Fianccetto]

Thank you for posting, WolverineX, and for the timely reminder to be careful.

 

Who does this? People who don't have a private place of their own and who don't want to get caught. Where? Sadly, almost any town with a secondary school could have kids using this stuff and leaving it lying around under a bush.

 

A timely reminder to listen to our kids, too.

[+J the Goat]

I haven't searched for any statistics, but I work in healthcare and have had a needle stick of my own. The nurse was correct in playing it down to you guys, the chances of transmission in a needle stick to the finger are very slim. Even though the needle is hollow, if there was no "injection" of blood into the finger, you're likely safe. Not surely however, so getting tested is very important to follow up on.

 

HIV isn't the worry. Neither is Hep B for that matter. The scary one is Hep C, as there's no vaccine and it can live in dried blood for a long time. Make sure that the tests being repeated will check for that virus in particular.

 

I'm sorry your son has to go through this. It's scary for you and for him. Best of luck.

[+Don_J]

I'm curious. Was this in a cache, or in the area of where the cache was? What kind of cache was it? I lifted a lamp skirt once and there was an uncapped syringe sitting on the other side of the post from the film can. I disposed of it in a nearby dumpster and have been careful from that point on to never forget that other urbanites may be using these same locations to hide things that may not be so harmless as our silly caches.

[+Don_J]

Sorry, I have to call BS on this post. I have lived in Amsterdam and Fargo, ND (Drug centers of the world) where I have removed dozens of needles from the streets. You would have to hold the used needle in one hand and jab it in the other in order to get stabbed. I admit needles are bad but don't spin people up with false fears. Call me a doubting Thomas or a negative Nellie. I just don't believe it happened.

 

Awe..., limiting it to just those two takes all the fun out it. Syringe needles are incredibly sharp. The danger of getting stuck if you accidentally come into contact with one is real. The danger of this becoming a health issue is minimal, but just as real.

 

BTW, a quick glance around the Internet reveals that Fargo may have a chance of being the drug center of North Dakota but certainly not the world.

[+The_Incredibles_]

http://www.viha.ca/NR/rdonlyres/1533C2DB-760B-4A29-8724-2C5449E69520/0/SaferCommunitiesforEveryone_final.pdf

 

What to do if you find a needle

 

1. Do not try to replace cap on needle
   
2. Pick up needle with extreme care using work gloves and tongs or tweezers, holding away from you
   
3. Place needle in a thick plastic or metal container with a cap
   
4. Replace cap securely
   
5. Dispose of in garbage
   

 

*Alternatively, many cities will have a number you can call and someone trained will come and pick up the needle

 

What to do if you get pricked by a needle

 

• Wash area with soap and warm water immediately
  
• Seek medical help
  

Edited December 31, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[+WulfyGeo]

If you dont feel confident in picking up needles in England, just call the local council. If you mention needles or other health hazards (I found bottles of urine at one cache) they will send someone out the same day.

 

https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-council

[beadytibetan]

NO ONE should ever ever be complacent about needle stick injuries. I very new to this whole geocaching thing but I am a Parish Councillor for a very small parish in the middle of Norfolk and regularly go on litterpicks around the village and the amount of revolting stuff we find is horrific and I have found needles in the middle of nowhere. Last time I was out we found a full sharps box. Mt first attempt to find a cache was whilst we were staying in urban Lincoln and I took my grandson along and I gave up after finding things I wished I had'nt. In future I shall be taking a stick to poke around with!

[+jenny08_1015]

I knew someone that had an accidental needle prick while waitressing. She had to go through the same process at the hospital/clinic.

Edited December 31, 2012 by jenny08_1015

[+WolverineX]

Sorry, I have to call BS on this post. I have lived in Amsterdam and Fargo, ND (Drug centers of the world) where I have removed dozens of needles from the streets. You would have to hold the used needle in one hand and jab it in the other in order to get stabbed. I admit needles are bad but don't spin people up with false fears. Call me a doubting Thomas or a negative Nellie. I just don't believe it happened.

 

Why even post that?

The needle was pointing sharp end up in the grass/weeds behind a wooden fence post. My son ran his hand down the back of the post in the dark. I removed the needle from the ground to take to the hospital who disposed of it properly.

Your description of how to get stabbed by one is utterly ridiculous! I don't believe you have removed them from the streets unless you meant old ladies knitting needles! I have worked in London, UK in blocks of flats and was told by the security or caretakers to not press lift buttons - as the drug users push needles in at the side of buttons and snap them off, and they also jab or tape them to teh underside of handrails on staircases...why, is beyond me, but that's in the real world.

As I said it's the second cache in my area to have needles nearby - both caches have been disabled.

The needle I discovered was in the area of a cache - which I never found so don't know how close to GZ it was.

I just thought it'd be an idea to inform fellow cachers of my (son's) experience. I don't care if you believe or not, it's up to you, these are the facts.