NH Patients Possibly Exposed to Meningitis

State health officials this week said they are working to ensure that a new crop of patients who may have been exposed to a fungus-laced steroid responsible for a nationwide meningitis outbreak are notified by the end of today.

According to a press release sent out Tuesday afternoon by the state Department of Health and Human Services, Pain Care LLC in Merrimack, Somersworth and now Newington, has identified 742 patients who may have been exposed to the steroid that was created at New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass.

Last week 186 patients who may have received an injection of the steroid were identified and contacted. However, as the investigation has continued, the number of patients who may have been exposed has grown as new information about the contamination has come to light.

“We continue to work very closely with Pain Care, and are assisting with outreach to their patients who may have been exposed to the steroid medication,” said New Hampshire’s Public Health Director Dr. Jose Montero. “Initially, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients who received epidural injections were being contacted. But as the investigation has evolved, patients who received non-epidural site injections are now also being contacted.”

To date, there are no confirmed cases of fungal meningitis in New Hampshire, but nationally, a total of 119 cases, including 11 deaths have been reported in10 states.

New England Compounding Center produced the contaminated medication and has voluntarily recalled all products it produced since January of 2012. However, all cases so far have resulted after injections with products from the original three lots of recalled medication, according to DHHS.

NECC has suspended all operations at its facility.

PainCare CEO Dr. Michael O'Connell released the following statement about the outbreak:

We have been working closely with the state officials and CDC for the past week and through this past weekend. We have identified and called all patients at primary risk (received methylprednisolone via epidural, caudal and transforaminal injection from NECC from mid June through early October) and are evaluating many of these patients, some with spinal taps. To date, no infections have been found among our patients. We reccommend that all patients at risk, regardless of having been evaluated or tapped, remain vigilant and self monitor until such time as the critical period has passed. We expect more specific guidance in this area from the CDC this week.

There are many different types of meningitis, a general term for an infection or inflammator process involving the lining of the brain and central nervous system. The cases under investigation have no relation to the much more common forms of bacterial or viral meningitis. This particular form of meningitis cannot be passed from person to person, but can be very serious, even fatal.”

Symptoms of meningitis include: headache, fever, nausea, stiff neck and sensitivity to light and in this type of meningitis symptoms may be or have been mild in some cases. CDC is recommending that patients who feel ill with the above symptoms or have weakness or numbness in any part of the body or slurred speech after receiving this medication should contact their healthcare provider. Also patients who received injection of the medication to joints should report to their provider if they have local symptoms including increased pain, redness or warmth at the site of the injection.

For more information visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/hai the DHHS website at www.dhhs.nh.gov or call the DPHS Bureau of Infectious Disease.