COCA Clinical Reminder: October 15, 2012

If you have any questions on these or other clinical issues, please write to us at coca@cdc.gov

Available for download: Fungal_Meningitis 10-15-12 (164Kb, 3 pages)

In response to the 2012 Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation, we would like to provide you with the following information. Content links are provided. If you have any questions on these or other clinical issues, please write to us at coca@cdc.gov.

Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation

Recent COCA Call: Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation Update: Information and Guidance for Clinicians
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continue to work closely with state public health departments on a multistate investigation of fungal meningitis among patients who received an epidural steroid injection. These cases are associated with a potentially contaminated steroid medication prepared by New England Compounding Center (NECC), located in Framingham, Mass. During this COCA Call, subject matter experts provided updates to the current epidemiology of the outbreak, described clinical presentation and features of fungal meningitis, and reviewed CDC’s recommended treatment guidance.

Date: Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Speakers: Melissa K. Schaefer, MD; Tom Chiller, MD, MPH; and Peter G. Pappas, MD
Access recorded call audio and transcript

Recent COCA Call: Multistate Meningitis Outbreak Investigation: Information and Guidance for Clinicians
During this COCA call, CDC subject matter experts discussed current epidemiology of the fungal meningitis outbreak, described clinical presentation and features of fungal meningitis, and reviewed CDC’s recommended treatment guidance.

Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Access recorded call audio and transcript

New and Updated Clinician Resources

Additional Updates

MMWR Update: Multistate Outbreak of Fungal Infection Associated with Injection of Methylprednisolone Acetate Solution from a Single Compounding Pharmacy --- United States, 2012 — October 12, 2012 / Vol. 61 / (Early Release)
On September 18, 2012, the Tennessee Department of Health was alerted by a clinician regarding a patient with culture-confirmed Aspergillus fumigatus meningitis diagnosed 46 days following epidural steroid injection at a Tennessee ambulatory surgical center. By September 27, the initial investigation, carried out by the Tennessee Department of Health in collaboration with CDC and the state health department in North Carolina, had identified an additional eight patients with clinically diagnosed, culture-negative meningitis. As of October 10, a multistate investigation led by CDC in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration and state and local health departments had identified 137 cases and 12 deaths in 10 states associated with this outbreak.

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