Virginia Department of Health

Investigation of Meningitis and Stroke after Spinal Injections

Virginia Department of Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other states on a multi-state investigation of meningitis and strokes in patients who received spinal injections. While the investigation into the source of the infection is not yet known, all infected patients received preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate among three lots which have been voluntarily recalled by the New England Compounding Center, in Framingham, Massachusetts. This product of concern was distributed to 23 states.

Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is working closely with the only two medical facilities known to have received and used this product from this manufacturer. Both facilities have contacted their patients who received this medication via any route of injection between July 2012 and September 2012. Insight Imaging in Roanoke contacted more than 600 patients and New River Valley Surgery Center in Christiansburg contacted less than 30 patients.

The manufacturer has recalled the implicated lots of the medication and the product is no longer being used. For more information, you can also call your local health department or 211.

• Frequently Asked Questions About Meningitis Associated with Epidural Spinal Injections
• CDC Meningitis Outbreak Web Page
• CDC Han Alert
• More Information About Meningitis

Resources for Clinicians
Physicians who see patients associated with this investigation are asked to contact the local health department to report any new illnesses in their patients.

• FDA Statement on Fungal Meningitis Outbreak and List of Recalled Products
• Meningitis and Stroke Associated with Potentially Contaminated Product

Bullying Prevention

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time when communities can raise awareness of bullying prevention through events, activities, outreach, and education.

More than 160,000 U.S. students stay home from school each day from fear of being bullied.Bullying is unwanted and repetitive, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. It is a growing public health problem that can have a serious and lasting impact on those bullying and those bullied.

It can be hard to know where to start when dealing with a problem such as bullying. That’s especially true if you’re a parent, a friend or a teacher looking for steps to protect kids in your community. Fortunately, there are many resources available that provide simple and safe ways to stop bullying:  

• Bullying Prevention in Virginia – Youth Violence and Bullying Prevention

• Virginia Rules – a site that provides information about Virginia laws with particular emphasis on how they apply to teens in their day-to-day-lives

• Virginia Bullying Legislation – a list of laws in the state that address bullying, cyberbullying, hazing

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The best way to fight breast cancer is to have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages.  During the month of October, the Virginia Department of Health would like to highlight the importance of regular screenings and early detection. more>>

FDA Expands Caution About SimplyThick

Sept. 20, 2012

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants parents, caregivers and health care professionals to be aware there of the risks associated with feeding SimplyThick to infants of any age.

Since May 2011, the FDA has identified 22 infants who developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening condition in which tissue in the intestines becomes inflamed and dies.

SimplyThick, a thickening agent, is used by patients of all ages, including premature infants, who have difficulty swallowing liquids. It is sold in individual serving packets as well as in 64-ounce dispenser bottles, which can be purchased from distributors and local pharmacies.

Symptoms to Watch for

• bloated stomach
• greenish-tinged vomiting
• bloody stools

Contact your health care professional if your baby has any of the symptoms listed above or if you have other concerns related to using SimplyThick. For additional information on the product, photographs of the packaging, please visit the FDA website, http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm256250.htm

West Nile Virus 2012

As of October 2, 2012, WNV disease has been reported in nineteen (19) Virginians: eight in the northwest region, seven in the northern region, two in the central region, one in the southwest region, and one in the eastern region. There have been two deaths: both were older adults who resided in the northwest and northern regions, respectively.

These numbers are a little higher than seen in recent years in Virginia: there were 9 reports of WNV disease in humans last year; for 2006 to 2010, WNV disease was reported in 1 to 5 persons annually. There was one death in 2011 and one death in 2010; from 2006 to 2009, there were no deaths.

The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites. 

• When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient. Follow the directions on the package.
• Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn.  Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.
• Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding areas by addressing areas in your yard where rainwater collects. Turn over or empty bird baths, flower pots, buckets, or barrels. Clean roof gutters and downspout screens. Remove old tires from your yard.  Eliminate standing water on flat roofs, boats or tarps. Keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when not in use.

For more information on West Nile Virus or other arboviral illnesses, please visit ourWest Nile Virus webpage or visit  CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm.

• "Pay Attention to Prevention" Press Release