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Escambia County Reports First Meningitis Case From Tainted Steriod
October 14, 2012
The first case of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated steroid injections has been confirmed in Escambia County.
A 47-year old man who received treatment from Pain Consultants of West Florida in Pensacola was injected with one of the contaminated lots, the Florida Department of Health said Saturday.
The man was one of more than 600 patients to receive a potentially tainted injection at the Escambia County clinic.
“We continue to urge those who may have received steroid injections from any of the six facilities in the state to consult a health care professional,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “This situation remains unfortunate, and although this fungal meningitis is not contagious, we do anticipate more patients will be affected as our investigation continues.”
Nationwide, there have been 185 cases of meningitis reported, including 14 deaths across 12 state. Florida has two confirmed fatalities as of Saturday. The fungal meningitis from the contaminated steroid injections is not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person, state health officials said.
The Escambia County Health Department has notified most patients of Pain Consultants of West Florida that received the contaminated injections; the health department is continuing to work to notify the last of the patients.
The contaminated medication may have been used in spinal and in joint injections given by Pain Consultants of West Florida between July 8, 2012, and September 28, 2012.
Persons having received spinal or joint injections of a steroid medication from Pain Consultants of West Florida between July 8 and September 28, 2012, should advise their primary care physician. Persons experiencing signs or symptoms of joint infection or meningitis should seek immediate medical evaluation by their physician or their local hospital emergency department. Symptoms of fungal meningitis may be milder than those normally associated with meningitis. Symptoms of fungal joint infections or meningitis can include:
Worsening of inflammatory symptoms in the treated joint including increased redness, warmth, swelling or pain, fever, new or worsening headache, nausea, and/or new symptoms consistent with a stroke.
Persons at risk of infection should call their physician to ensure that their physician is aware of their risk. More information can be obtained from the Escambia County Health Department at (850) 595-6651 or from your local health department. For individuals outside Escambia County, the Florida Department of Health has set up a toll-free hotline at (866) 523-7339.
Comments
11 Responses to “Escambia County Reports First Meningitis Case From Tainted Steriod”
I have contacted my primary and he recommended waiting for symptoms and advised going to emergency if I in fact had symptoms….. I called the Health Department and they did not find my name….I emailed and called the Pain clinic but have not heard if I am on the list .. I had injections in July and really needed to know if I should prepare for the worst…My husband not well and if I am to be ill, I need to make plans…If I could be told not to worry as I am not on the list i could relax and carry on….I just found this site and thought I’d try to reach someone…Thanks..Hope this helps me reach whoever I need to, so I can move on….
That’s CDC.gov And please, this is a limited range of people. If you did not get an injection AT the one site that opened and used their supply of this POTENTIALLY tainted medication, DO NOT flood the ER.
No other medications from other manufacturers or time period is involved in this. My wife was treated last Sunday by the ER as if this was nothing..why? Because they admitted they had a flood of people who didn’t even go to Pain Consultants coming in. We went back when they had done absolutely no testing and brushed her off even though she’s been experiencing everything EXCEPT a fever since her injection, and again they were dismissive because of the flood of people who shouldn’t be concerned at all. BUT, they did a lumbar puncture and it was not normal, now we are waiting for the culture process to find out if she’s out of the ’suspect’ case catagory one way or the other.
So again, don’t go to the ER and get in the way of the true patients that are potentially exposed to the tainted batch IF YOU DID NOT get your injection AT Pain Consultants during the specified time frame.
This is deadly serious. Those true patients have been exposed to something that could kill suddenly…If it grows in them.
The center for disease control website has all the info you need, including the two facilities in Pensacola which are included in the 8 total in Fl. http://Www.cdc.com.
And to Kathy, according to my conversations with the health dept, I think you are okay, the tainted batches had not been produced as of yet (February) and you would be showing symptoms by now.
I myself i am very concerned for myself i had the injections done in the west fla pain clinic on davis hwy in feburary i m wondering if there where tainied medication back then. i mean how will we really know for sure, i am talking to a lawyer. and everyone else should to. please if you have heard anything about that time frame let me know thank you and god bless to all.
God so works in mysterious ways.I had orders to get my scheduled injections, and because of school I decided not to because it takes a few days to a week to get over it., and cannot miss school…I am so glad I didn’t, because one of those pain clinics listed is mine…Thank you God for looking out for me and I pray you comfort those who have suffered losses from this contaminated product…
What 6 clinics? I also received a steroid shot for pain about 3 weeks ago.
>>>would you have the names of the 6 clinics mentioned in this article?
Florida Pain Clinic, Ocala, FL
Marion Pain Management Center, Ocala, FL
Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery, Orlando, FL
Pain Consultants of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
Surgery Center of Ocala, Ocala, FL
Surgical Park Center, Miami, FL
William, would you have the names of the 6 clinics mentioned in this article? My husband received spinal injections from a different pain management clinic but we have not heard anything. Any way to know what clinics received the tainted medication? Thanks.
I was contacted by the pain clinic but not by the health dept. I left a voice mail for my primary and never got a reply. Guess I have to go in and inform them in person.
May God be with all of those that have been contaminated…
I have been contacted by phone and in person, haven’t slept good since! I am going to my primary next week. Thanks to the Escambia county health dept for being all over this!