PO
360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
For Release:
November 3, 2001
|
George
T. DiFerdinando, Jr., MD, MPH
Acting Commissioner
For
Further Information Contact:
Laura Otterbourg or Dave Jamieson
(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. |
Condition
upgraded to good, but still hospitalized |
| 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 |
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. One of the FBI samples has come up as preliminary
positive for anthrax. All other samples taken are negative through
final testing. Although not recommended by DHSS/CDC, workers
at the facility were offered 10 days of antibiotics. |
| Kuser
Road Office Building |
DHSS,
CDC & FBI |
Sampling
was conducted Oct. 30. One FBI sample from an in-office mail
bin was reported positive on Nov. 2. All non-FBI samples
are negative through final testing. DHSS/CDC are not recommending
that the office be closed. Although not recommended, employees
were offered 10-days of antibiotics pending final test results.
|
| 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. Additional environmental
samples were collected Oct. 30. All of the Oct. 30 samples
are negative through final testing.
Although not recommended by DHSS/CDC, 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.
Additional FBI environmental sampling results
are pending from USAMRIID. Results are expected soon.
|
 The
approximately 1300 nasal swab tests done on workers from the Hamilton
and West Trenton postal facilities are all negative through final
testing. The nasal swabs were taken by DHSS, the CDC and Robert
Wood Johnson University Medical Center-Hamilton. A negative nasal
swab test does not mean that a person has not been exposed to anthrax,
and individuals from Hamilton and West Trenton are urged to continue
their antibiotic treatment.
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 1,506
environmental samples, such as envelopes and packages, collected
by law enforcement agencies from across the state. Testing on 1,103
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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