Heroin laced with anthrax has killed nearly a dozen people and sickened many more in the UK and Germany over the last three months. From The Guardian:
The surge of cases – the most serious anthrax outbreak in the UK in recent times – has puzzled police and health experts, who remain uncertain how or where the heroin became infected. The frequently lethal bacteria is mostly found in animals in Asia and Africa, and very rarely occurs in Europe.
They are investigating whether the heroin was contaminated at its likely source in Afghanistan, perhaps from contaminated soils or contact with infected animal skins, or was infected by a cutting agent used by drugs dealers or traffickers closer to Europe…
Dr Arif Rajpura, the director of public health with NHS Blackpool, repeated warnings to heroin users to stop taking the drug or watch closely for unusual symptoms, including rashes, swelling, severe headaches or high temperatures.
“Anthrax-contaminated heroin kills drug user” (Thanks, Vann Hall!)