Police warn human guinea pig who vanished after being injected with malaria: You only have 36 hours to live



Sexual assault: Nurse Matthew Lloyd, who was feared missing after taking part in a drugs trial, has been detained under the Mental Health Act for sexual assault

The nurse who disappeared after being injected with malaria as part of a clinical trial could die within 36 hours if he does not get urgent medical attention, police warned today.



Matthew Lloyd, 35, failed to attend the second part of the trial after phoning in ill to work.



Police urged him to attend the nearest hospital or doctors' surgery and launched a desperate appeal to find him.



They say he may even have just 24 hours left to live if he does not take an anti-malarial drug to counter the malaria he was injected with in the first part of the trial.



Mr Lloyd, who works at Southampton General Hospital, Hants, failed to turn up for treatment in Oxford on Thursday afternoon.



He is taking part in the clinical trial with seven other volunteers and was due to be injected with a vaccine.



His bank cards were used at cashpoints in London, Milton Keynes and Birmingham over the weekend but there have been no confirmed sightings.



Detective Inspector Becky Riggs, from Hampshire Constabulary, today said: 'We are extremely concerned for Mr Lloyd's wellbeing.



'To put it bluntly, if he has not received medical attention it will be fatal. I urge him in the strongest possible terms to attend a hospital or visit the nearest doctors' surgery.



'He could even get treatment from a pharmacist over the counter, without the need for a prescription.



'Every police officer in the county is looking for him and officers in other counties have also been informed.

'His bank cards have been used at cash machines in London, Milton Keynes and Birmingham but we do not know for sure yet if it was him that used them.



'Our investigations are on-going.' Mr Lloyd had phoned in ill to work in the days immediately prior to Thursday's appointment and now has not been seen for several days.



Neighbours heard police battering down his door on Thursday evening and today it was covered with a wooden board.



Hampshire police spokesman Ian Sainsbury said: 'He needs drugs because he has done the first part of the clinical trial and needs to complete that trial.



'The last that was heard from him was when he rang in sick to work. We do not yet know when he was last seen.



'But he requires urgent medication which he does not have with him.



Treatment: Lloyd was due to receive medication at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to counteract the deadly virus but failed to turn up

'We are appealing for anyone who has seen him or thinks they know where he is to contact them or for Matthew himself to give them a call.'



Mr Lloyd lives in a one bedroom flat in Southampton. Neighbours to his fourth floor flat said they were unaware he had been missing until they heard police break in at about 7pm on Thursday.



One man said: 'I saw him about a month ago, I didn't really know him at all. He seemed quite quiet and kept himself to himself. I didn't know he was missing until I heard police break down his door looking for him.



'There are a lot of people here, and I know most of them, but I've never talked to him.'



Investigating officer Detective Inspector Dave Jackson said: 'I would like to thank everyone who has given information to the police so far.



'We believe Matthew has travelled to the London, Birmingham and Milton Keynes areas in the past few days.



'Further enquiries are continuing into the circumstances surrounding these possible leads. Matthew is also known to have connections in Cornwall, Avon and Somerset.



'We are appealing again for anyone who sees Matthew or who has information about his whereabouts to contact police as soon as possible.



'Even the smallest detail could prove crucial in finding Matthew so he can receive his life-saving medication in time.



'I would also like to appeal directly to Matthew to come forward so that all his friends, family and colleagues who are worried about him can be sure he's safe and well.'



Mr Lloyd is described as having short brown hair and is of medium build with a swarthy complexion.

