NJ Reports Two New Cases of Fungal Meningitis

Two new cases of fungal meningitis linked the the multi-state outbreak associated with contaminated steroid medication have been reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the New Jersey Department of Health.

All four patients are Cumberland County residents.  Three are hospitalized and recovering in South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center at Vineland.  A fourth is being monitored by the hospital as an outpatient.  The three hospitalized patients are being treated intravenously with anti-fungal medication after receiving a steroid injection from one of the lots of medication recalled by the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts, which has suspended its operations.

The two new cases include a 59-year-old man who received an injection on September 12 at Premier Orthopaedic Associates in Vineland.  The fourth is a 52-year-old woman who received an injection in August at South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center.

In New Jersey, the investigation affects 634 patients who received a steroid injection at one of six health care facilities between May 21 and September 26. The facilities are:

• Central Jersey Orthopedics Specialists, PC in South Plainfield
• Edison Surgical Center, Edison
• IF Pain Associates/Isaiah Florence, Teaneck
• Premier Orthopaedic Associates, Vineland
• Comprehensive Pain Management, Sparta
• South Jersey Healthcare, Elmer and Vineland

"Nearly all of the 634 New Jersey residents who received potentially contaminated injections at one of six health care facilities have been notified, but any patient who has had a steroid injection and is experiencing symptoms should call their health care provider immediately," said Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd.