Details:

Alternative Title:
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep
Publisher's site:
http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6637a3
Personal Author:
Massey, Joel ; Kilkenny, Michael ; Batdorf, Samantha ; Sanders, Sarah K. ; Ellison, Debra ; ... More +
Massey, Joel ; Kilkenny, Michael ; Batdorf, Samantha ; Sanders, Sarah K. ; Ellison, Debra ; Halpin, John ; Gladden, R. Matthew ; Bixler, Danae ; Haddy, Loretta ; Gupta, Rahul Less -
Description:
On August 15, 2016, the Mayor's Office of Drug Control Policy in Huntington, West Virginia, notified the Cabell-Huntington Health Department (CHHD) of multiple calls regarding opioid overdose received by the emergency medical system (EMS) during 3 p.m.-8 p.m. that day. A public health investigation and response conducted by the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health (BPH) and CHHD identified 20 opioid overdose cases within a 53-hour period in Cabell County; all cases included emergency department (ED) encounters. EMS personnel, other first responders, and ED providers administered the opioid antidote naloxone to 16 (80%) patients, six of whom were administered multiple doses, suggesting exposure to a highly potent opioid. No patients received referral for recovery support services. In addition to the public health investigation, a public safety investigation was conducted; comprehensive opioid toxicology testing of clinical specimens identified the synthetic opioid fentanyl* and novel fentanyl analogs, including carfentanil,| which had been used by patients who overdosed in Huntington. Results of these two investigations highlight the importance of collaboration between public health and public safety agencies to provide in-depth surveillance data from opioid overdose outbreaks that involve high-potency fentanyl analogs. These data facilitated a public health response through increased awareness of powerful opioid substances requiring multiple naloxone doses for reversal, and improved patient linkage to recovery support services and a harm reduction program from the ED after opioid overdose.
Subject:
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Adolescent
Adult
Analgesics, Opioid
Designer Drugs
Disease Outbreaks
Drug Overdose
Emergency Medical Services
Female
Fentanyl
Full Report
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Naloxone
Narcotic Antagonists
Opioid-Related Disorders
Young Adult

Source:
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 66(37):975-980.
Pubmed ID:
28934186
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC5657780
Document Type:
Journal Article
Place as Subject:
West Virginia
Collection(s):
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:bf10bae9026f7604c71ad4e63ed91847905f6e2a2a9e135f14cbd3ff5ef9ac00
File Type:

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