Displaying items by tag: Summit County Health Department

Summit County Health officials say there may have been exposure to TB at a hospital here in Akron. About 50 families are being notified by Akron Children's Hospital for potential exposure at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Summa Akron City Hospital from mid-November through mid-December of last year. The Summit County Health Department says NICU patients at Akron Children's Hospital were not at risk of exposure. Doctors want to reach out to those potentially exposed since tuberculosis can be more serious in children, and treat them with proactive antibiotics.

In a press conference at the Summit County Public Health building Friday morning, Dr. Margo Erme, Medical Director with the county, emphasized that there is no risk of infection to the public. Measures have been and continue to be taken among those who were exposed, but the general public shouldn't be concerned. The county has added a list of Frequently Asked Questions to their website here. 

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news release updated 10:02 a.m.

(Summit County Health) 

REVISED news release

(Summit County Health Department) Summit County Public Health has confirmed a case of pulmonary tuberculosis in a Summit County resident on Jan. 3, 2017. In the course of the tuberculosis (TB) investigation, Summit County Public Health works with the individual to identify persons who were potentially exposed and would benefit from evaluation and testing.

Before being diagnosed with TB disease, this individual visited the Akron Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit at Summa Akron City Hospital in mid-November through mid-December, 2016. Summit County Public Health shared this information with Summa-Akron City Hospital and Akron Children’s Hospital, which operates the neonatal intensive care unit.

Infants who were in the NICU at the Akron Children’s Hospital campus were not at risk of exposure.

The three organizations have worked collaboratively to identify approximately 50 families of infants who were patients in the unit during this time and may have been exposed to the disease. Akron Children’s has begun notifying these families directly.
“The risk for infection is low, but because TB can be more serious in young children we would like to evaluate these infants and begin them on a protective antibiotic,” said Dr. John Bower, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Akron Children’s Hospital. “We have set up a clinic and are providing this care at no cost to our patient families.” 

In the United States TB disease is an uncommon and potentially serious illness that usually involves the lungs but can affect other parts of the body. In rare cases, people with TB disease can spread the disease to others. TB is spread through the air by
close prolonged contact when a person coughs, speaks, laughs, or sings. It is not spread by casual contact or contact with surfaces.

Almost all cases of TB disease are curable with proper treatment and medication. Active cases of TB disease are uncommon, even after exposure. While TB is contagious, it is difficult for the disease to spread from person to person. Therefore, there is minimal risk to the greater public.

“Adult care givers, older children and other individuals who may have visited the unit only during this time period are also encouraged to have a TB test in 6 to 8 weeks to see if they have been infected,” said Dr. Margo Erme, medical director of the Summit  County Health Department. “This would be about 10 to 12 weeks after the last potential exposure which is the time for the body to develop its response to the TB bacteria. If testing is done earlier, the person would still need to return in 6-8 weeks to be retested. Testing can be done by their private physician or at Summit County Public Health by calling the Clinic Appointment Line, 330-375-2772.” 

On Wednesday, as part of International Overdose Awareness Day, Summit County Public Health hosted a press conference to announce the donation of 40,000 "pill pouches" to Summit County for people to dispose of their unused medications, primarily opiates. Summit County Community Partnership Executive Director Darryl Brake hosted the event, and explained that while Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals is based out of Missouri, one phone call was all it took to get the company to recognize the seriousness of the opiate addiction problem in Summit County and donate the bags. 

At the press conference, Kevin Webb, Director of Advocacy Relations for Mallinckrodt, explained that the prescription disposal bags would be available beginning Wednesday locally. As part of their efforts to help the situation locally, Acme Fresh Markets is making the bags available, at no charge, at all 16 of their locations throughout the area. 

Brake says if the bags are used as intended and filled to capacity, more than 1.3 million prescription pills will be disposed of properly, and taken off the streets and out of the hands of those who can easily misuse them.

Hear more from Kevin Webb from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Summit County ADM Board Executive Director Jerry Craig. They discuss the new disposable pill pouches and the seriousness of the opioid addiction problem here locally: 

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control spotlights drug OD's in Ohio -- in particular the epidemic of opiate abuse.

In just one year fentanyl deaths jumped from 84 -- to 502, and that number is from 2014. That makes Fentanyl more potent than smack.

In Summit County, the Department of Public Health says the agency already works together with other partners to deal with the growth of opiate abuse here.

Medical director Dr. Margo Erme says they'll go over the report to see what else can be done.

"We'll take some time to look over the suggestions, to see what we're already doing, what we can improve upon," Dr. Erme tells WAKR.net, "and what we may be able to initiate with our partners."

Dr. Erme says Summit County has a "strong community" dedicated to working on the abuse problem.

One project already underway is "Project Dawn", which provides opiate reversal mediation to users, friends and families of those at risk for overdoses.