Second Case Of Meningitis Confirmed In Escambia County Area

October 17, 2012

A second case of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated steroid injections has been confirmed in Escambia County.

Both patients received spinal injections from Pain Consultants of West Florida on North Davis Highway in Pensacola, according to the Escambia County Health Department. The  patients are identified only as a 79-year old woman and a 47-year old man. The injections were from contaminated medication shipped to the Pensacola clinic from the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts.

As of Tuesday, 598 persons in the Escambia County area have been identified as having been exposed to the contaminated medication, and 593 of these 598 persons have been contacted by health department officials in an effort to notify all exposed persons of their risk. The Florida Department of Health continues its efforts to reach and notify the remaining persons.

Persons having received spinal or joint injections of a steroid medication from Pain Consultants of West Florida between July 8, 2012, and September 28, 2012 and who have not spoken with someone from the Escambia County Health Department or Pain Consultants of West Florida should contact the health department at (850) 595-6651 and should also 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:

  • Joint infection: worsening of inflammatory symptoms in the treated joint including increased redness, warmth, swelling or pain
  • Fungal meningitis: fever, new or worsening headache, stiff neck, nausea, and/or new symptoms consistent with a stroke

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News