No Good Time Without Drugs: Qualitative Study Among Nightlife Attendees in Tbilisi, Georgia.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals who visit nightclubs and electronic dance music (EDM) festivals tend to use psychoactive substances, often multiple substances, in this setting and are at risk of serious negative health effects. This paper aims to explore respondents' experiences and perceptions in order to have a better understanding of patterns and motives related to psychoactive substance use and high-risk behaviours in EDM event attendees. METHODS: In-depth and focus group interviews with 30 EDM event attendees who reported psychoactive substance use at nightlife events. The data was analysed using the Nvivo-v.10 software. RESULTS: Mixing multiple substances to get the desired effects was common. Ecstasy was often combined with Jager (alcohol). Drug use in nightlife settings occurred in a group of friends and was perceived as an essential part of having a good time. Most participants reported that they did not use drugs outside nightlife settings. The dangerous synthetic hallucinogen NBOMe was still on the scene. The respondents had a very low level of knowledge about, and perception of, the risks associated with drug consumption. Knowledge about risk minimisation strategies was very low or non-existent. CONCLUSIONS: Polydrug use and a lack of perceived harmful effects put drug-using nightlife attendees at increased risk of negative health consequences. Future research should focus on identifying strategies to raise the awareness of people who use drugs in nightlife settings and encourage them to employ health protection strategies. Using the social network infrastructure can be thought of as one potentially beneficial approach.

Regional variations in home canning practices and the risk of foodborne botulism in the Republic of Georgia, 2003.

Foodborne botulism is a severe, paralytic illness caused by ingestion of preformed neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum. In 2003, we conducted a population-based household survey of home canning practices to explore marked regional variations in botulism incidence in the Republic of Georgia (ROG). We designed a cluster sampling scheme and subdivided each of the 10 regions of the ROG into a variable number of strata. Households were selected from each stratum using a two-step cluster sampling methodology. We administered a questionnaire about home canning practices to household members responsible for food preparation. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, we modeled high (eastern ROG) against low (western ROG) incidence areas. Overall, we surveyed 2,742 households nationwide. Home canning with a capping device hermetically sealing the lid covering the jar was practiced by 1,909 households (65.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 59.8 to 72.1%). Canning was more prevalent in regions of low botulism incidence (34 versus 32%; P < 0.01). When compared with low-botulism areas, the following practices were associated with an increased risk in high-botulism areas: ≥ 6 months between canning vegetables and consuming them (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.5) and adding any of the following ingredients to the jar at time of preparation: >1 tablespoon of salt per liter (aOR = 5.1; 95% CI: 1.2 to 22.6); vinegar (aOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.7), and greens (aOR = 5.6; 95% CI: 1.7 to 18.2). The following practices were associated with a decreased risk in high-botulism areas: >57 jars canned per household annually (aOR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3 to 0.9), covering or immersing vegetables in boiling water before placing them into the jar (aOR = 0.3 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.6), covering or immersing vegetables in boiling water after placing them into the jar (aOR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.9), or adding garlic (aOR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5) or aspirin (aOR = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.2) to the jar at the time of preparation.

Water-borne outbreak of oropharyngeal and glandular tularemia in Georgia: investigation and follow-up.

BACKGROUND: In November 2006, an outbreak of waterborne tularemia occurred in an eastern region in the Republic of Georgia. Outbreak investigation revealed 26 cases: 21 oropharyngeal and 5 glandular tularemia cases. METHODS: The presentation of the index case triggered an outbreak investigation involving the collection of clinical/ epidemiological data, application of tularine skin test, and laboratory confirmation of the possible cases using the tube agglutination test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Serology results were verified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot. A case- control study along with follow-up was conducted 4 months after the index case presentation. RESULTS: Exudative pharyngitis, predominantly laterocervical adenitis, fever, and headache were the most prevalent clinical signs/symptoms observed. Depressed mood, concentration difficulties, and sleep disturbance were also detected. Bubo aspirates tested by PCR were positive in 4/4 cases and pharyngeal swabs also tested by PCR were positive in 2/3 cases. Francisella tularensis was isolated from the water samples. Comparison of the cases and controls did not reveal any statistically significant risk factors. A follow-up investigation revealed cases with protracted symptoms of fatigue, headache, and sleep disturbance. Additionally, 8/26 cases still had cervical adenopathy of prominent size. A delay in diagnosis was associated with persistent lymphadenopathy on follow-up examination (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: We observed unique features of persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms and lymphadenopathy 5 months after tularemia infection which were associated with delayed diagnosis and the lack of prompt response to therapy. This outbreak of oropharyngeal tularemia emphasizes the importance of a rapid diagnostic and investigative response to tularemia. This type of response can prevent ongoing exposure, as well as provide expeditious treatment to mitigate persistent symptoms.