Injection-related wounds and skin infections in people who inject drugs in North Carolina
A Growing Crisis of Novel Injection-Related Wounds and Skin & Soft Tissue Infections among People Who Inject Drugs: A Community-Based, Longitudinal Investigation in North Carolina
This project follows people who inject drugs to learn how injection-related wounds and skin infections start and get worse over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195152 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to join a community-based, long-term study that combines interviews, clinical case reports, and regular visits to document injection-related wounds and skin and soft tissue infections (IWSSTIs). The team will work with local harm-reduction groups to recruit participants, photograph and categorize wounds, collect medical records and possibly samples, and track patterns of drug use including exposure to substances like xylazine. Ethnographic interviews will explore everyday behaviors, barriers to care, and how wounds progress in real life. Results will be used to create clearer clinical reporting guidelines and community-informed prevention and care approaches.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who currently inject drugs, especially those with recent or recurring injection-related wounds or infections, are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who do not inject drugs or who cannot take part in follow-up visits or interviews are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could help prevent severe infections and guide earlier, more effective care for injection-related wounds among people who inject drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Previous observational work has documented rising IWSSTIs and harms linked to substances like xylazine, but combining long-term community follow-up, standardized clinical case reporting, and ethnographic methods is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Research Triangle Park, United States
- Research Triangle Institute — Research Triangle Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zibbell, Jon Eric — Research Triangle Institute
- Study coordinator: Zibbell, Jon Eric
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.