MENINGITIS AND STROKE ASSOCIATED WITH POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED PRODUCT: EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTIONS

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising Delawareans that potentially contaminated epidural steroid injections may have been used in surrounding states and linked to fungal meningitis. At this time, there are no known cases of fungal meningitis in Delaware nor is Delaware one of the states that received the potentially contaminated steroid injection from the manufacturer. However, the product was shipped to Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. DPH is recommending that Delawareans who received steroid injections in those states be alert for the following and contact their doctor should they appear:

• Infected patients have presented approximately 1 to 4 weeks following their injection with a variety of symptoms, including fever, new or worsening headache, nausea, and new neurological deficit (consistent with deep brain stroke). Some of these patients' symptoms could be very mild in nature.

DPH is also recommending that medical providers check to see if the lot numbers below were used in their practice and be alert for the symptoms of potential infection in their patients as potentially contaminated product was shipped to Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey.

On September 25, 2012, the New England Compounding Center located in Framingham, MA voluntarily recalled the following lots of methylprednisolone acetate (PF) 80mg/ml:

• Methylprednisolone Acetate (PF) 80 mg/ml Injection, Lot #05212012@68, BUD 11/17/2012
• Methylprednisolone Acetate (PF) 80 mg/ml Injection, Lot #06292012@26, BUD 12/26/2012
• Methylprednisolone Acetate (PF) 80 mg/ml Injection, Lot #08102012@51, BUD 2/6/2013

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are coordinating a multi-state investigation of fungal meningitis among patients who received an epidural steroid injection. Several of these patients also suffered strokes that are believed to have resulted from their infection. Fungal meningitis is not transmitted from person to person.

The DPH is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates on information that impacts Delaware as it becomes available.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.