Home » News » Health
October 04. 2012 2:50PM
Recalled drug believed responsible for deadly meningitis outbreak was distributed in NH
CONCORD - State health officials are working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a probe into a national outbreak of fungal meningitis believed to be related to the distribution of recalled medication.
The cause of the outbreak is believed to be associated with the recalled medication but it is still under investigation by the CDC and the Federal Drug Administration. To date, there have been 35 cases and 5 deaths in 6 states. However, the situation continues to evolve and the number of cases will likely change in the coming days, according to a statement from the state Dept. of Health and Human Services.
New England Compounding Pharmacy of Framingham, Mass., produced the recalled medication, say health officials. In New Hampshire the drug was distributed by Pain Care LLC at its locations in Somersworth and Merrimack.
Pain Care has sent all the unused recalled drug, a steroid used by injection to manage pain, back to the manufacturer, according to HHS.
"We are working very closely with Pain Care who are today working to contact the roughly 186 patients who received this medication," said N.H. Public Health Director Dr. Jose Montero. "We are not aware of any cases in New Hampshire related to this outbreak at this time. We also are conducting surveillance to identify people who might be affected by this situation. We realize this is concerning as this can be an extremely serious and in some cases fatal illness."
There are many different types of meningitis, a general term for an infection or inflammatory 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, according to health officials. The particular form of meningitis in this outbreak is not transmissible from person to person, they say.
For more information visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov or call the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at 603-271-4496.
The cause of the outbreak is believed to be associated with the recalled medication but it is still under investigation by the CDC and the Federal Drug Administration. To date, there have been 35 cases and 5 deaths in 6 states. However, the situation continues to evolve and the number of cases will likely change in the coming days, according to a statement from the state Dept. of Health and Human Services.
New England Compounding Pharmacy of Framingham, Mass., produced the recalled medication, say health officials. In New Hampshire the drug was distributed by Pain Care LLC at its locations in Somersworth and Merrimack.
Pain Care has sent all the unused recalled drug, a steroid used by injection to manage pain, back to the manufacturer, according to HHS.
"We are working very closely with Pain Care who are today working to contact the roughly 186 patients who received this medication," said N.H. Public Health Director Dr. Jose Montero. "We are not aware of any cases in New Hampshire related to this outbreak at this time. We also are conducting surveillance to identify people who might be affected by this situation. We realize this is concerning as this can be an extremely serious and in some cases fatal illness."
There are many different types of meningitis, a general term for an infection or inflammatory 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, according to health officials. The particular form of meningitis in this outbreak is not transmissible from person to person, they say.
For more information visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov or call the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at 603-271-4496.
