PO
360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
For Release:
November 1, 2001
|
George
T. DiFerdinando, Jr., MD, MPH
Acting Commissioner
For
Further Information Contact:
Laura Otterbourg or Dennis McGowan
(609) 984-7160
|
|
HUMAN TESTING RESULTS
Following is an update on the condition of persons
suspected or confirmed with anthrax: Note that the CDC defines a
confirmed case of anthrax as 1) a clinically compatible case of
cutaneous, inhalational, or gastrointestinal illness that is laboratory
confirmed by isolation of B. anthracis from an affected tissue
or site or 2) other laboratory evidence of B. anthracis infection
based on at least two supportive laboratory tests. A suspected case
is defined as 1) a clinically compatible case of illness without
isolation of B. anthracis and no alternative diagnosis, but
with laboratory evidence of B. anthracis by one supportive
laboratory test or 2) a clinically compatible case of anthrax epidemiologically
linked to a confirmed environmental exposure, but without corroborative
laboratory evidence of B. anthracis infection.
|
Patients |
Patient
Status |
Conditions |
| Delaware resident who works
at the Bellmawr Mail Distribution Center |
Listed as a Suspected Cutaneous
case by CDC on Oct. 31 |
Recovering |
| Kuser Road (Hamilton) office worker
|
Confirmed Cutaneous case by CDC
on Oct 29 |
Released from hospital and recovering |
| West Trenton Postal worker |
Confirmed Cutaneous case by CDC
on Oct. 18 |
Recovering |
| Route 130 Hamilton Mail Processing
Facility worker |
Listed as Suspected Cutaneous
case by CDC on Oct. 18 |
Recovering |
| Route 130 Hamilton Mail Processing
Facility worker |
Listed as Confirmed Cutaneous
case on Oct. 19 by Pennsylvania Department of Health |
Recovering |
| Route 130 Hamilton Mail Processing
Facility worker |
Confirmed Inhalational case by
CDC on Oct 28. Listed as Suspected by CDC on Oct. 23. |
Hospitalized, but condition
upgraded to fair |
| Route 130 Mail Hamilton Processing
Facility worker |
Confirmed Inhalational case by
CDC on Oct. 29. Listed as Suspected on Oct. 25 by CDC. |
Released from hospital and recovering |
 Capital
Health Systems reported a preliminary positive nasal swab result
on a Trenton firefighter. Bacteria from the swab were then tested
at the State's Public Health & Environmental Laboratories and
were negative for anthrax.
St. Barnabus Health Care System reported that two postal workers
from Eatontown - with no symptoms and no known exposure to anthrax
- tested preliminary positive in nasal swab testing. Bacteria from
the swabs were then tested in the State's lab and were negative
for anthrax. The DHSS and CDC do not consider these individuals
to be possible anthrax cases.
ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING RESULTS
Following is a listing of environmental sampling
tests conducted by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
Services (DHSS) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
and crime scene sampling by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI).
| Facility |
Organization |
Results |
| Bellmawr Mail Distribution
Center |
DHSS, CDC & FBI |
Sampling was conducted
Oct. 31. The facility will remain closed pending testing results.
Although not recommended, workers at the facility were offered
10 days of antibiotics. |
| Kuser Road Office
Building |
DHSS, CDC & FBI |
Sampling was conducted
Oct. 30. Employees were offered antibiotics pending test results.
Although not recommended, the patient's co-workers were offered
10 days of antibiotics. |
| Carteret Facility |
DHSS and CDC |
All 14 samples taken
Oct. 24 are negative for anthrax through final testing. The
DHSS and CDC has informed the facility manager to advise workers
and business visitors to stop taking antibiotics that had been
given as a precautionary measure. |
| Downtown Station on
Montgomery St., Trenton |
FBI |
All 11 samples taken
to date are negative for anthrax through final testing. |
| Princeton Main, West
Windsor |
DHSS & CDC
FBI
|
23 samples taken Oct. 27 are negative through
final testing.
22 samples taken Oct. 27 are negative and
one sample is positive through final testing.
The post office will remain closed pending
test results of additional environmental samples collected
Oct. 30. Although not recommended, workers at the facility
were offered 10 days of antibiotics.
|
| Route 130 Mail Processing
Facility, Hamilton Township |
DHSS, CDC & FBI |
34 out of 102 samples
taken are positive for anthrax through final testing. The DHSS
collected 20 samples on Oct 18 in the public areas and common
use - all are negative. Also on Oct. 18, the FBI took 23 samples
(14 are positive). The DHSS and CDC team took 59 samples (20
are positive) on Oct. 21. |
| West Trenton facility,
Ewing Twp. |
DHSS & CDC
FBI
|
All 22 samples taken Oct. 25 are negative
for anthrax through final testing.
All 20 samples taken Oct. 19 and analyzed
at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious
Disease (USAMRIID) are preliminary negative for anthrax to
date.
|
| West Trenton facility,
Ewing Twp. (areas outside the facility) |
FBI
|
All 15 samples taken Oct. 23 by the FBI are
negative for anthrax through final testing.
The West Trenton Post Office will remain closed
pending final FBI environmental sampling results from USAMRIID.
Results are expected soon.
|
The
Department has a bioterrorism phone line at the Emergency Operations
Center at 609-538-6030 that is open between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00
p.m. until further notice. Hearing-impaired residents with anthrax-related
concerns can contact the Department through the New Jersey Relay
Center by dialing either 711 or 1-800-852-7899. The Relay Center
will convey the caller's message to DHSS. Information is also available
on the website at www.state.nj.us/health.
As
of today, the state laboratory has received more than 1,402
environmental samples, such as envelopes and packages, collected
by law enforcement agencies from across the state. Testing on 1,062
of those specimens has been completed and all are negative for anthrax.
The lab conducts preliminary (gram/spore stain) tests and culture
tests on environmental samples and on clinical samples that meet
established testing protocols.
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