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Background:In March 2017, the New Jersey Department of Health received reports of 3 patients who developed septic arthritis after receiving intra-articular injections for osteoarthritis knee pain at the same private outpatient facility in New Jersey. The risk of septic arthritis resulting from intra-articular injection is low. However, outbreaks of septic arthritis associated with unsafe injection practices in outpatient settings have been reported.Methods:An infection prevention assessment of the implicated facility’s practices was conducted because of the ongoing risk to public health. The assessment included an environmental inspection of the facility, staff interviews, infection prevention practice observations, and a medical record and office document review. A call for cases was disseminated to healthcare providers in New Jersey to identify patients treated at the facility who developed septic arthritis after receiving intra-articular injections.Results:We identified 41 patients with septic arthritis associated with intra-articular injections. Cultures of synovial fluid or tissue from 15 of these 41 case patients (37%) recovered bacteria consistent with oral flora. The infection prevention assessment of facility practices identified multiple breaches of recommended infection prevention practices, including inadequate hand hygiene, unsafe injection practices, and poor cleaning and disinfection practices. No additional cases were identified after infection prevention recommendations were implemented by the facility.Discussion:Aseptic technique is imperative when handling, preparing, and administering injectable medications to prevent microbial contamination.Conclusions:This investigation highlights the importance of adhering to infection prevention recommendations. All healthcare personnel who prepare, handle, and administer injectable medications should be trained in infection prevention and safe injection practices.

Background In October and November 2014, the New Jersey Department of Health received reports of 3 patients who developed Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis after undergoing surgical procedures at the same oral surgery practice in New Jersey. Bacterial endocarditis is an uncommon but life-threatening condition; 3 patients with enterococcal endocarditis associated with a single oral surgery practice is unusual. An investigation was initiated because of the potential ongoing public health risk. Methods Public health officials conducted retrospective surveillance to identify additional patients with endocarditis associated with the practice. They interviewed patients using a standardized questionnaire. An investigative public health team inspected the office environment, interviewed staff, and reviewed medical records. Results Public health officials identified 15 confirmed patients with enterococcal endocarditis of those patients who underwent procedures from December 2012 through August 2014. Among these patients, 12 (80%) underwent cardiac surgery. One (7%) patient died from complications of endocarditis and subsequent cardiac surgery. Breaches of recommended infection prevention practices were identified that might have resulted in transmission of enterococci during the administration of intravenous sedation, including failure to perform hand hygiene and failure to maintain aseptic technique when performing procedures and handling medications. Conclusions This investigation highlights the importance of adhering to infection prevention recommendations in dental care settings. No additional patients with endocarditis were identified after infection prevention and control recommendations were implemented. Practical Implications Infection prevention training should be emphasized at all levels of professional dental training. All dental health care personnel establishing intravenous treatment and administering intravenous medications should be trained in safe injection practices.

Unsafe practices are an underestimated contributor to the disease burden of bloodborne viruses. Outbreaks associated with failures in basic infection prevention have been identified in nonhospital settings with increased frequency in the United States during the past 15 years, representing an alarming trend and indicating that the challenge of providing consistently safe care is not always met. As has been the case with most medical specialties, public health investigations by state and local health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have identified some instances of unsafe practices that have placed podiatric medical patients at risk for viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. All health-care providers, including podiatric physicians, must make infection prevention a priority in any setting in which care is delivered.

By 2005, vaccination had reduced the annual incidence of mumps in the United States by more than 99%, with few outbreaks reported. However, in 2006, a large outbreak occurred among highly vaccinated populations in the United States, and similar outbreaks have been reported worldwide. The outbreak described in this report occurred among U.S. Orthodox Jewish communities during 2009 and 2010.Cases of salivary-gland swelling and other symptoms clinically compatible with mumps were investigated, and demographic, clinical, laboratory, and vaccination data were evaluated.From June 28, 2009, through June 27, 2010, a total of 3502 outbreak-related cases of mumps were reported in New York City, two upstate New York counties, and one New Jersey county. Of the 1648 cases for which clinical specimens were available, 50% were laboratory-confirmed. Orthodox Jewish persons accounted for 97% of case patients. Adolescents 13 to 17 years of age (27% of all patients) and males (78% of patients in that age group) were disproportionately affected. Among case patients 13 to 17 years of age with documented vaccination status, 89% had previously received two doses of a mumps-containing vaccine, and 8% had received one dose. Transmission was focused within Jewish schools for boys, where students spend many hours daily in intense, face-to-face interaction. Orchitis was the most common complication (120 cases, 7% of male patients ≥12 years of age), with rates significantly higher among unvaccinated persons than among persons who had received two doses of vaccine.The epidemiologic features of this outbreak suggest that intense exposures, particularly among boys in schools, facilitated transmission and overcame vaccine-induced protection in these patients. High rates of two-dose coverage reduced the severity of the disease and the transmission to persons in settings of less intense exposure.

Background: Transmission of bloodborne pathogens due to breaches in infection control is becoming increasingly recognized as greater emphasis is placed on reducing health care–associated infections. Two women, aged 60 and 77 years, were diagnosed with acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection; both received chemotherapy at the same physician’s office. Due to suspicion of health careassociated HBV transmission, a multidisciplinary team initiated an investigation of the hematology-oncology office practice. Methods: We performed an onsite inspection and environmental assessment, staff interviews, records review, and observation of staff practices. Patients who visited the office practice between January 1, 2006 and March 3, 2009 were advised to seek testing for bloodborne pathogens. Patients and medical providers were interviewed. Specimens from HBV-infected patients were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for HBV DNA testing and phylogenic analysis. Results: Multiple breaches in infection control were identified, including deficient policies and procedures, improper hand hygiene, medication preparation in a blood processing area, common-use saline bags, and reuse of single-dose vials. The office practice was closed, and the physician’s license was suspended. Out of 2,700 patients notified, test results were available for 1,394 (51.6%). Twenty-nine outbreak-associated HBV cases were identified. Specimens from 11 case-patients demonstrated 99.9%100% nucleotide identity on phylogenetic analysis. Conclusion: Systematic breaches in infection control led to ongoing transmission of HBV infection among patients undergoing invasive procedures at the office practice. This investigation underscores the need for improved regulatory oversight of outpatient health care settings, improved infection control and injection safety education for health care providers, and the development of mechanisms for ongoing communication and cooperation among public health agencies.

On March 6, 2017, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) was notified of three cases of septic arthritis in patients who had received intra-articular injections for osteoarthritic knee pain at a private outpatient practice. The practice voluntarily closed the next day. NJDOH, in conjunction with the local health department and the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners, conducted an investigation and identified 41 cases of septic arthritis associated with intra-articular injections administered during 250 patient visits at the same practice, including 30 (73%) patients who required surgery. Bacterial cultures of synovial fluid or tissue from 15 (37%) patients were positive; all recovered organisms were oral flora. An infection prevention assessment of the practice identified multiple breaches of recommended infection prevention practices, including inadequate hand hygiene, inappropriate use of pharmacy bulk packaged (PBP) products as multiple-dose containers and handling PBP products outside of required pharmacy conditions, and preparation of syringes up to 4 days in advance of their intended use. No additional septic arthritis cases were identified after infection prevention recommendations were implemented within the practice.

Unsafe practices are an underestimated contributor to the disease burden of bloodborne viruses. Outbreaks associated with failures in basic infection prevention have been identified in nonhospital settings with increased frequency in the United States during the past 15 years, representing an alarming trend and indicating that the challenge of providing consistently safe care is not always met. As has been the case with most medical specialties, there have been public health investigations by state and local health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified some instances of unsafe practices that have placed podiatric medical patients at risk for viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. All health-care providers, including podiatric physicians, must make infection prevention a priority in any setting in which care is delivered.

BACKGROUND: In 2013–2014, an outbreak of serogroup B meningococcal disease occurred among persons linked to a New Jersey university (University A). In the absence of a licensed serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration authorized use of an investigational MenB vaccine to control the outbreak. An investigation of the outbreak and response was undertaken to determine the population at risk and assess vaccination coverage. METHODS: The epidemiologic investigation relied on compilation and review of case and population data, laboratory typing of meningococcal isolates, and unstructured interviews with university staff. Vaccination coverage data were collected during the vaccination campaign held under an expanded-access Investigational New Drug protocol. RESULTS: Between March 25, 2013, and March 10, 2014, 9 cases of serogroup B meningococcal disease occurred in persons linked to University A. Laboratory typing results were identical for all 8 isolates available. Through May 14, 2014, 89.1% coverage with the 2-dose vaccination series was achieved in the target population. From the initiation of MenB vaccination through February 1, 2015, no additional cases of serogroup B meningococcal disease occurred in University A students. However, the ninth case occurred in March 2014 in an unvaccinated close contact of University A students. CONCLUSIONS: No serogroup B meningococcal disease cases occurred in persons who received 1 or more doses of 4CMenB vaccine, suggesting 4CMenB may have protected vaccinated individuals from disease. However, the ninth case demonstrates that carriage of serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis among vaccinated persons was not eliminated.

We describe an outbreak of Nocardia cyriacigeorgica soft-tissue infections attributable to unlicensed cosmetic injections and the first report using multilocus sequence typing sequence data for determining Nocardia strain relatedness in an outbreak. All 8 cases identified had a common source exposure and required hospitalization, surgical debridement, and prolonged antimicrobial therapy.

Incidents of health care-associated hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission that resulted from breaches in injection safety and infection prevention practices have been previously documented. During 2010 and 2011, separate, unrelated, occurrences of HCV infections in New Jersey and Wisconsin associated with surgical procedures were investigated to determine sources of HCV and mechanisms of HCV transmission. Molecular analyses of HCV strains and epidemiologic investigations indicated that transmission likely resulted from breaches of infection prevention practices. Health care and public health professionals should consider health care-associated transmission when evaluating acute HCV infections.

In 2008, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) identified a 21.1% increase in reported invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). In 2009, NJDOH piloted nucleic acid-based serotyping to characterize serotypes causing IPD. From April through September, NJDOH received specimens from 149 of 302 (49%) case patients meeting our case definition. An uncommon serotype, 10A, accounted for 25.2% of IPD overall and was identified in 12 counties, but it was associated with one county (rate ratio = 5.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1, 11.8). NJDOH subsequently conducted a case-control study to assess the presentation of and clinical risk factors for 10A IPD. Case patients with 10A IPD were more likely to have had immunosuppression, asthma, and multiple chronic medical conditions than control subjects had (odds ratio [OR] = 2.6, 95% CI 1.1, 6.3; OR=4.7, 95% CI 1.7, 13.2; and OR=2.3, 95% CI 1.0, 5.2, respectively). State-based pneumococcal serotype testing identified an uncommon serotype in New Jersey. Continued pneumococcal serotype surveillance might help the NJDOH identify and respond to future serotype-specific increases.

On September 30, 2015, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) was notified by an out-of-state health services company that an experienced nurse had reused syringes for multiple persons earlier that day. This occurred at an employee influenza vaccination clinic on the premises of a New Jersey business that had contracted with the health services company to provide influenza vaccinations to its employees. The employees were to receive vaccine from manufacturer-prefilled, single-dose syringes. However, the nurse contracted by the health services company brought three multiple-dose vials of vaccine that were intended for another event. The nurse reported using two syringes she found among her supplies to administer vaccine to 67 employees of the New Jersey business. She reported wiping the syringes with alcohol and using a new needle for each of the 67 persons. One of the vaccine recipients witnessed and questioned the syringe reuse, and brought it to the attention of managers at the business who, in turn, reported the practice to the health services company contracted to provide the influenza vaccinations.