4 Ohio sites got shots tied to meningitis outbreak

COLUMBUS, Ohio - All 15 patients at one of four Ohio health care facilities that used a recalled steroid injection suspected in a deadly outbreak of meningitis have been notified of the problem and have no symptoms of the infection, the clinic said Friday.

The Ortho-Spine Rehab Center in central Ohio's Dublin last injected a patient with the drug on Sept. 12, and most of the 15 patients are outside of the incubation period of two to 28 days, said Beth Shiller, a medical assistant at the clinic.

"We were the lucky ones. So far none of our patients have been diagnosed with meningitis," Shiller said. "They really appreciated us letting them know what they need to look for."

Federal investigators have found contamination in a sealed vial of the steroid at the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., after shipments went to clinics in 23 states. Forty-seven people have been sickened; five of them have died. Ohio has had no reported cases linked to the outbreak of fungal meningitis that's been tied to the steroid shots.

Three other facilities in Ohio used the recalled steroid: Cincinnati Pain Management, Marion Pain Clinic, and BKC Pain Specialists, also in Marion. They did not answer the phone or return messages for comment Friday.

The Ohio Department of Health said the facilities were working to contact patients who received the steroid injection, which is often used to treat back pain.

Shiller said the Dublin clinic had used the drug for at least seven years because it was cheaper than the Food and Drug Administration's version and was effective. She said the clinic paid about $300 for 10 vials of the steroid, which would last the small operation a few months.

Now the clinic is using a Grove City, Ohio, company for the drug and didn't really consider getting the FDA's version, partially because of the cost, she said. She declined to name the company.
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Associated Press writer Kantele Frank contributed to this report from Columbus.