Ohio - Outbreak of fungal meningitis and associated infections - 19 cases

[Catbird]

Ohio Department of Health

"The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has linked two additional cases of meningitis to steroid injections produced at New England Compounding Center. This brings the total number of cases to three in Ohio: a 65-year-old man from Hamilton County; a 39-year-old female from Morrow County; and a 40-year-old female from Crawford County.

Quick Facts

• 3 Case in Ohio
  
• 422 Patients who Received Injection in Ohio
  
• 419 Patients Successfully Contacted through Outreach

ODH was informed by the four clinics in Ohio that received the possibly tainted drug that 422 patients received the injections. Through aggressive outreach, 419 patients have been reached and advised to monitor closely for a change in symptoms. Outreach to remaining patients is ongoing.

“This outreach and contact with healthcare providers needs to continue even if the patient is feeling well during the initial conversation,” said Dr. Ted Wymyslo, Director of ODH. “Because of the rare nature of this infection, no one is sure of the incubation period; we don’t know how long after an injection it is safe to say you won’t get sick.”

The medication at the center of the recall is a widely-distributed steroid medication used to treat back pain and is administered by injection. Certain lots of the medication provided by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass. may be contaminated with a fungus that has led to some patients to develop a rare form of fungal meningitis (brain infection) and stroke.

On October 3, 2012, the company ceased all production and initiated recall of all methylprednisolone acetate (a steroid medication) and other drug products prepared for injections in and around the spinal cord (known as intrathecal administration).ODH alerted healthcare providers in Ohio to inform them of symptoms that could be cause by the tainted drug as well as updated lists of recalled products. ODH teamed with local public health departments and other resources such as law enforcement to contact every patient who received an injection with the potentially contaminated steroid."

[Catbird]

Update from Ohio Dept. of Health website:

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

Unlike bacterial or viral meningitis, fungal meningitis cannot be spread person-to-person. Ohio currently has seven cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), all linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

• Crawford County: 40-year-old female
• Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
• Marion County: 55-year-old female; 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female
• Morrow County: 39-year-old female

[Catbird]

Update from Ohio Dept. of Health:

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is encouraging all health care providers to follow-up with patients who received any injectable products from New England Compounding Center (NECC) since May 2012. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided states with a list from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of all facilities that purchased NECC products during that time frame. ODH is making the list of the 64 Ohio facilities available online to aid in the outreach to patients. The list includes any provider who bought a NECC product since May 21, 2012, even topical products, which FDA has indicated are low- or no-risk products.

“We are working with health care providers to reach out to patients, but we need two-way communication,” said Dr. Ted Wymyslo, Director at ODH. “At this time, ODH does not have a count on the number of patients that received drugs in the expanded recall list. Since this investigation is changing so rapidly, it’s critical that Ohioans who received these injections or solutions be informed and watch closely for any change in how they are feeling.”

ODH used a statewide health emergency alerting system to contact health care providers and hospitals throughout the state with this additional guidance from FDA. Local health departments are being tasked with calling each facility in their jurisdiction and supporting those facilities with patient outreach. ODH expects every patient who received a recalled injection to be contacted.

Unlike bacterial or viral meningitis, fungal meningitis cannot be spread person-to-person. Ohio currently has seven cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), all linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

Cases in Ohio:

• Crawford County: 40-year-old female
• Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
• Marion County: 55-year-old female; 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female
• Morrow County: 39-year-old female

The medication at the center of the recall is a widely distributed steroid medication used to treat back pain and is administered by injection. Medication provided by NECC may be contaminated with a fungus that has led to some patients to develop a rare form of fungal meningitis (brain infection) and stroke.

On October 3, 2012, the company ceased all production and initiated recall of all methylprednisolone acetate (a steroid medication) and other drug products prepared for injections in and around the spinal cord (known as intrathecal administration). On October 6, NECC announced a recall of all its products. A complete list of all products subject to this recall can be accessed here. ODH alerted health care providers in Ohio to inform them of symptoms that could be cause by the tainted drug as well as updated lists of recalled products. ODH teamed with local public health departments and other resources such as law enforcement to contact every patient who received an injection with methylprednisolone acetate.

ODH’s call for additional outreach to patients comes after the FDA reported that two transplant patients with Aspergillus fumigatus infection were administered NECC cardioplegic solution during surgery. FDA has not confirmed that these two infections were, in fact, caused by an NECC product. The cases did not occur in Ohio.

[Catbird]

Ohio Department of Health:

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

"Ohio currently has ten cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), all linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

10 Cases in Ohio:

• Crawford County: 40-year-old female
• Franklin County: 44-year-old female
• Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
• Marion County: 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
• Morrow County: 39-year-old female
• Warren County:52-year-old male

[Pathfinder]

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is encouraging all health care providers to follow-up with patients who received any injectable products from New England Compounding Center (NECC) since May 2012. The products on the expanded list have not been linked to any illnesses, FDA is providing the information out of an abundance of caution.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided states with a list from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of all facilities that purchased NECC products during that time frame. ODH is making the list of the 64 Ohio facilities available online to aid in the outreach to patients. The list includes any provider who bought a NECC product since May 21, 2012, even topical products, which FDA has indicated are low- or no-risk products.

“We are working with health care providers to reach out to patients, but we need two-way communication,” said Dr. Ted Wymyslo, Director at ODH. “At this time, ODH does not have a count on the number of patients that received drugs in the expanded recall list. Since this investigation is changing so rapidly, it’s critical that Ohioans who received these injections or solutions be informed and watch closely for any change in how they are feeling.”

ODH used a statewide health emergency alerting system to contact health care providers and hospitals throughout the state with this additional guidance from FDA. Local health departments are being tasked with calling each facility in their jurisdiction and supporting those facilities with patient outreach. ODH expects every patient who received a recalled injection to be contacted.

Unlike bacterial or viral meningitis, fungal meningitis cannot be spread person-to-person. Ohio currently has eleven cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), all linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.



11 Cases in Ohio:

• Crawford County: 40-year-old female
• Franklin County: 44-year-old female
• Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
• Marion County: 28-year-old female; 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
• Morrow County: 39-year-old female
• Warren County:52-year-old male

The medication at the center of the recall is a widely distributed steroid medication used to treat back pain and is administered by injection. Medication provided by NECC may be contaminated with a fungus that has led to some patients to develop a rare form of fungal meningitis (brain infection) and stroke.
...
http://www.odh.ohio.gov/en/features/...njections.aspx

[Catbird]

Ohio Department of Health:

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation


...Ohio currently has 14 cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), all linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

14 Cases in Ohio:

Clermont: 39-year-old male
Crawford County: 40-year-old female
Franklin County: 44-year-old female
Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
Marion County: 28-year-old female; 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
Morrow County: 39-year-old female
Union County: 39-year-old female
Warren County:52-year-old male; 56-year-old female

[Catbird]

Ohio Dept. of Health:

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

Unlike bacterial or viral meningitis, fungal meningitis cannot be spread person-to-person. Ohio currently has 16 cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

16 Cases in Ohio:

Clermont: 39-year-old male; 85-year-old male
Crawford County: 40-year-old female
Franklin County: 31-year-old female; 44-year-old female
Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
Marion County: 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
Morrow County: 39-year-old female
Union County: 39-year-old female
Warren County:52-year-old male; 56-year-old female
Kentucky resident who received injection in Ohio: 55-year-old female

(One case, Marion County's 28-year-old female, was recently removed as that individual no longer met CDC's case definition.)

[Catbird]

Ohio Dept. of Health:

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

Unlike bacterial or viral meningitis, fungal meningitis cannot be spread person-to-person. Ohio currently has 17 cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

17 Cases in Ohio:

• Clermont: 39-year-old male; 85-year-old male
• Crawford County: 40-year-old female
• Fairfield County: 43-year-old female (added 11/16/12)
• Franklin County: 31-year-old female; 44-year-old female
• Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
• Marion County: 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
• Morrow County: 39-year-old female
• Union County: 39-year-old female
• Warren County:52-year-old male; 56-year-old female
• Kentucky resident who received injection in Ohio: 55-year-old female

[Catbird]

Ohio Dept. of Health: Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

Unlike bacterial or viral meningitis, fungal meningitis cannot be spread person-to-person. Ohio currently has 18 cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

18 Cases in Ohio:

Clermont: 39-year-old male; 85-year-old male; 85-year-old female (added 11/27/12)
Crawford County: 40-year-old female
Fairfield County: 43-year-old female
Franklin County: 31-year-old female; 44-year-old female
Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
Marion County: 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
Morrow County: 39-year-old female
Union County: 39-year-old female
Warren County:52-year-old male; 56-year-old female
Kentucky resident who received injection in Ohio: 55-year-old female

[Catbird]

ODH: Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

Ohio currently has 19 cases of fungal meningitis (no deaths), linked to back injections with steroids distributed by NECC. The case numbers for Ohio could change as CDC adjusts their case definition and Ohio further evaluates each patient.

19 Cases in Ohio:

Clermont: 39-year-old male; 85-year-old male; 85-year-old female
Crawford County: 40-year-old female
Fairfield County: 43-year-old female
Franklin County: 31-year-old female; 44-year-old female
Hamilton County: 65-year-old male
Marion County: 45-year-old male; 47-year-old female; 50-year-old female; 55-year-old female; 62-year-old female
Morrow County: 39-year-old female; 58-year-old female (added 12/03/12)
Union County: 39-year-old female
Warren County:52-year-old male; 56-year-old female
Kentucky resident who received injection in Ohio: 55-year-old female

Updated 12/03/12

[Catbird]

The Department of Health has not updated any case information since Dec. 3rd, and there have been no media reports of new cases.