Levamisole tainted cocaine causing severe neutropenia in Alberta and British Columbia
Open Access
- 1 January 2009
- journal article
- Published by Springer Nature in Harm Reduction Journal
- Vol. 6 (1) , 30
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7517-6-30
Abstract
Five cases of severe neutropenia (neutrophil counts < 0.5 per 109 cells/L) associated with exposure to cocaine and levamisole, an antihelimithic agent no longer available in Canada, were identified in Alberta in 2008. Alberta and British Columbia (BC) public health officials issued an advisory and urged health care professionals to report cases to public health. This paper presents the findings of the public health investigations.Keywords
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