McHenry County Doctors Treating Krokodil User
(CBS) -- Concern about the potentially-deadly street drug known as "Krokodil" has spread to the far northwest suburbs.
Centegra Health System doctors said, in a press release, that they are treating an intravenous drug user who has large skin lesions that look like the work of Krokodil, which causes gangrene from the inside and skin to turn green and scaly.
"The symptoms are obvious," said Centegra psychiatrist Dr. Paul Berkowitz, who said anyone who believes they have taken Krokodil should seek treatment immediately.
The possible Krokodil case goes hand-in-hand with a slow but steady increase in McHenry County heroin arrests over the past three years. The doctors say they want it clear to the public that those who inject the drugs are injecting poison.
The McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition hosted a community meeting on heroin and Krokodil abuse Wednesday in the auditorium of McHenry County College.
"I mean it's made of fuel and codeine and things that are dangerous enough to touch no less ingest into your body," said Andrew Zinke, McHenry County Undersheriff.
The McHenry County coroner's office said 52 people died of heroin overdoses in McHenry County between 2009 and 2012.
