13,000 may be at risk for contracting meningitis from contaminated steroid injections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported an outbreak of fungal meningitis in patients who have received epidural steroid injections. So far, 105 cases of meningitis have been identified and eight people have died. Several people have suffered strokes related to the meningitis. Thousands more may be affected, as 13,000 patients may have received the recalled product.

The meningitis outbreak has been linked to three contaminated lots of a steroid injection called Preservative-Free Methylprednisolone Acetate. Methylprednisolone Acetate is an injectable steroid medication generally given in hospital or outpatient settings. It is used to relieve chronic back pain and inflammation.

The contaminated steroids are manufactured by the New England Compounding Center (NECC), a pharmacy located in Framingham, Massachusetts. Outbreaks have occurred across  the country, as the contaminated steroid injections were distributed in 23 states, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. A list of the clinics, hospitals, and healthcare facilities that have received the recalled Methylprednisolone Acetate PF is available on the CDC's website, http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis-facilities-map.html , and is also provided below.

Meningitis is a serious infection which causes an inflammation of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Usually, meningitis is caused by a bacteria or a virus. This meningitis outbreak initially baffled doctors when affected patients did not respond to antibiotics that are usually used to treat meningitis. The antibiotics failed because this meningitis outbreak is caused by Aspergillus, a fungus, and not a bacteria.
Fungal meningitis is very rare, and usually only occurs in patients who have compromised immune systems. However, this outbreak has occurred in otherwise healthy patients. Doctors soon realized that these patients shared a commonality--- they had recently received epidural steroid injections. The infections were then traced to the steroids, which were contaminated with Aspergillus.

Unlike more common cases of meningitis, this meningitis is not contagious. However, if you have recently received a spinal steroid injection and are suffering meningitis symptoms, the CDC recommends that you seek medical care quickly. Symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, stiff neck, confusion, dizziness, and aversion to bright lights.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of receiving a contaminated steroid injection, contact the pharmaceutical attorneys at Schlichter, Bogard & Denton for a free evaluation of your potential claim. 

FACILITIES THAT RECEIVED RECALLED CONTAMINATED STEROIDS

FACILITY	CITY	STATE
CYPRESS SURGERY CENTER DBA	VISALIA	CA
ENCINO OUTPATIENT SURGICENTER	ENCINO	CA
UKIAH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER	UKIAH	CA
UNIVERSAL PAIN MANAGEMENAT	PALMDALE	CA
INTERVENTIONAL SPINE AND SPORTS MED	MIDDLEBURY	CT
FLORIDA PAIN CLINIC	OCALA	FL
INTERVENTIONAL REHAB CENTER	PENSACOLA	FL
MARION PAIN MANAGEMENT CENTER	OCALA	FL
NORTH COUNTY SURGICENTER	PALM BEACH GARDENS	FL
ORLANDO CENTER FOR OUTPATIENT SURGERY	ORLANDO	FL
PAIN CONSULTANTS OF WEST FLORIDA	PENSACOLA	FL
SURGERY CENTER OF OCALA	OCALA	FL
SURGICAL PARK CENTER	MIAMI	FL
FORSYTH STREET AMBULATORY SURG. CTR.	MACON	GA
PAIN SPECIALISTS OF IDAHO	IDAHO FALLS	ID
WALTER KNOX MEMORIAL HOSPITAL	EMMETT	ID
APAC CENTERS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT	WESTCHESTER	IL
APAC CENTERS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT-	CHICAGO	IL
THOREK MEMORIAL HOSPITAL	CHICAGO	IL
AMBULATORY CARE CENTER LLC	EVANSVILLE	IN
FORT WAYNE PHYSICAL MEDICINE	FORT WAYNE	IN
OSMC OUTPATIENT SURGERY CENTER	ELKHART	IN
SOUTH BEND CLINIC	SOUTH BEND	IN
UNION HOSPITAL--	TERRE HAUTE	IN
WELLSPRING	COLUMBUS	IN
BALTIMORE PAIN MANAGEMENT	BALTIMORE	MD
BERLIN INTERVENTIONAL PAIN MANAGEMENT	BERLIN	MD
BOX HILL SURGERY CENTER	ABINGDON	MD
GREENSPRING SURGERY CENTER	BALTIMORE	MD
HARFORD COUNTY ASC, LLC	EDGEWOOD	MD
PAIN MEDICINE SPECIALISTS	TOWSON	MD
SURGCENTER OF BEL AIR	BEL AIR	MD
MICHIGAN NEUROSURGICAL INST.	GRAND BLANC	MI
MICHIGAN PAIN SPECIALISTS	BRIGHTON	MI
NEUROMUSCULAR & REHABILITATION	TRAVERSE CITY	MI
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN SURGICAL HOSPITAL	WARREN	MI
MAPS-EDINA MEDICAL PAIN CLINIC	MINNEAPOLIS	MN
MAPS-MEDICAL ADVANCED PAIN	FRIDLEY	MN
MEDICAL ADVANCED PAIN SPECIALISTS*	SHAKOPEE	MN
MEDICAL ADVANCED PAIN SPECIALISTS.	MAPLE GROVE	MN
MINNESOTA SURGERY CENTER	EDINA	MN
MINNESOTA SURGERY CENTER-	MAPLE GROVE	MN
HIGH POINT SURGERY	HIGH POINT	NC
NORTH CAROLINA ORTHOPAEDIC CLINIC	DURHAM	NC
SURGERY CENTER OF WILSON	WILSON	NC
DR. O'CONNELL'S PAIN CARE CTR	MERRIMACK	NH
DR. O'CONNELL'S PAINCARE CENTERS, INC	SOMERSWORTH	NH
CENTRAL JERSEY ORTHOPEDICS SPECIALISTS PC	SOUTH PLAINFIELD	NJ
EDISON SURGICAL CENTER	EDISON	NJ
IF PAIN ASSOCIATES / ISAIAH FLORENCE	TEANECK	NJ
PREMIER ORTHOPEDICS SURG. ASSOC., LLC	VINELAND	NJ
Comprehensive Pain Management	SPARTA	NJ
SOUTH JERSEY HEALTH CARE	ELMER	NJ
SOUTH JERSEY HEALTHCARE	VINELAND	NJ
SAHARA SURGERY CENTER	LAS VEGAS	NV
BUTANI, SUNIL H. PHYSICIAN PC	MINEOLA	NY
OBOSA MEDICAL SERVICES	MOUNT VERNON	NY
ROCHESTER BRAIN AND SPINE	ROCHESTER	NY
BKC PAIN SPECIALISTS,LLC	MARION	OH
CINCINNATI PAIN MANAGEMENT	CINCINNATI	OH
MARION PAIN CLINIC	MARION	OH
ORTHO-SPINE REHAB. CENTER, INC.	DUBLIN	OH
ALLEGHENY PAIN MANAGEMENT	ALTOONA	PA
SOUTH HILLS PAIN & REHAB ASSOC.	JEFFERSON HILLS	PA
NEW ENGLAND ANESTHESIOLOGY (NEA)	WARWICK	RI
OCEAN STATE PAIN MANAGEMENT	WOONSOCKET	RI
OCEAN STATE PAIN MANAGEMENT-	EAST GREENWICH	RI
INTERVENE MD	MOUNT PLEASANT	SC
PCA PAIN CARE CENTER-	OAK RIDGE	TN
SPECIALTY SURGERY CENTER	CROSSVILLE	TN
ST. THOMAS OUTPATIENT NEUROSURGIACL	NASHVILLE	TN
DALLAS BACK PAIN MANAGEMENT	DALLAS	TX
HARRIS METHODIST SOUTHLAKE CENTER	SOUTHLAKE	TX
INSIGHT IMAGING-ROANOKE	ROANOKE	VA
NEW RIVER VALLEY SURGERY CENTER	CHRISTIANSBURG	VA
PARS INTERVENTIONAL PAIN	PARKERSBURG	WV