CONCORD, NH — Some patients and healthcare staff in several
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester clinics and Catholic Medical Center
(CMC) may have been exposed to crusted (Norwegian) scabies by a patient
treated at these facilities within the past several months. Crusted scabies
is a more severe version of typical scabies and can be more easily passed
to others than typical scabies.
As a precaution, Manchester and Catholic Medical Center in collaboration with the State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Manchester Health Department are preparing a series of precautionary preventive treatment clinics on March 9, 10, and 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in two Manchester locations for patients, staff, family, and visitors who may have been exposed to scabies during visits to the facility locations during the dates and times specified below.
Any patients or staff members identified as having possible exposure are being contacted directly. For people exposed at CMC, the clinic location is 195 McGregor Street, Manchester, NH, (formerly Planet Fitness) across the street from the CMC Hospital, entry via Foundry Street. For those exposed at any Dartmouth-Hitchcock facility the location for the clinic is 100 Hitchcock Way, 2nd Floor, Manchester, NH.
“We are helping to coordinate the extensive efforts by these two facilities
by providing consultation and recommendations as they work to quickly reach all persons who may have been affected,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, State Epidemiologist. “Scabies is not a public health threat, but it does cause
uncomfortable clinical symptoms, so we want to try and help Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester and CMC prevent unnecessary infestation amongst their staff, patients, and visitors.”
The original patient was diagnosed and treated in Dartmouth-Hitchcock’ Manchester dermatology clinic at 100 Hitchcock Way for a case of crusted scabies on March 2. This patient also was an inpatient at Catholic Medical Center in February and was an outpatient at the Notre Dame Pavilion and several other Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester and CMC locations between July 2015 and March 2, 2016.
With the help of DHHS and the Manchester Health Department (MHD), Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester and CMC are offering preventive treatment of patients, staff, family, and visitors who have been identified as exposed to scabies.
Patients and staff are being notified by mail, email, and in person and are
being encouraged to go to one of the clinics at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester or CMC.
These clinics will offer preliminary screening to detect scabies and a
topical ointment medication. Anyone who attends the clinic who shows
symptoms will be examined and offered the same treatment and given
additional instructions for ensuring that their home environment is properly treated.
It can take up to a couple of months for a person exposed to scabies to
develop symptoms of infestation. Because of this, DHHS, D-H Manchester,
CMC, and MHD are encouraging anybody who was seen at one of the locations listed below between the specified dates to come to one of the clinics to receive the topical ointment medication to prevent possible development of scabies.
Location and Dates
- D-H Manchester Dermatology
100 Hitchcock Way, Manchester, NH
3/2/2016 - D-H Manchester Radiology
100 Hitchcock Way, Manchester, NH
12/1/2015 – 12/4/2015 - D-H Manchester Laboratory
100 Hitchcock Way, Manchester, NH
1/14/2016 – 1/17/2016 - D-H Manchester Pulmonology
Notre Dame Pavilion at Catholic Medical Center, 87 McGregor St, Manchester, NH 12/4/2015 – 12/7/2015 - D-H Manchester Hematology/Oncology, Notre Dame Pavilion at Catholic Medical Center, 87 McGregor St, Manchester, NH 12/17/2015 – 12/20/2015
- D-H Manchester Rheumatology
Notre Dame Pavilion at Catholic Medical Center, 87 McGregor St., Manchester, NH 1/12/2016 – 1/15/2016, 2/29/2016; 3/2/2016 - Norris Cotton Laboratory
Catholic Medical Center
87 McGregor St, Manchester, NH 12/14/2015 – 12/17/2015, 2/29/2016; 3/3/2016 - Catholic Medical Center Laboratory
100 McGregor St, Manchester, NH: 2/15/2016 – 2/18/2016 - Catholic Medical Center Emergency Department, 100 McGregor St., Manchester, NH: 2/15/2016 – 2/18/2016
- Catholic Medical Center Cardiac Medical, Unit (C-100) 100 McGregor St, Manchester, NH 2/15/2016 – 2/24/2016
- Catholic Medical Center Medical, Surgical Unit (E200), 100 McGregor St, Manchester, NH: 2/21/2016 – 2/27/2016
- Catholic Medical Center Radiology Department, 100 McGregor Street, Manchester NH, 2/15/16 – 2/18/16
Anyone seen at one of the CMC or D-H Manchester facilities before the
listed dates above does not need to get preventive treatment because there
is no longer a risk of scabies newly developing. However, individuals who
may have sought care or visited one of the following CMC or D-H healthcare
facilities in July, August, or November 2015 should be vigilant for any
itchy skin rashes that don’t go away and should seek medical care if they
are concerned about possible scabies infection.
- D-H Manchester Dermatology, Radiology, and Laboratory Services at 100
Hitchcock Way, Manchester - D-H Manchester Hematology/Oncology, Pulmonology, and Rheumatology at
Notre Dame Pavilion at Catholic Medical Center, 87 McGregor St, Manchester - Norris Cotton Infusion Center, Catholic Medical Center, 87 McGregor St,
Manchester - Catholic Medical Center Pulmonary Medicine, 100 McGregor St, Manchester
According to the CDC, typical scabies is a non-life threatening, easily
treatable infestation of the skin by the human itch mite. Symptoms of
scabies include intense itching and a pimple-like rash. It is usually
spread by direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with a person. However,
in the case of immunocompromised patients, the elderly, the disabled or
debilitated, crusted scabies is more easily transmitted through casual
contact with the patient or the environment. While the risk of exposure to
scabies is of concern, clinically it is described as a nuisance rather than
a health concern. It is easily treatable with an ointment or oral
medication.
A Public Inquiry Line is available through DHHS to answer any questions
your employees, patients, visitors or families may have. The number is
603-271-9461 and it will be operational Saturday March 5 and Sunday March 6 from 12 – 5 p.m. and Monday March 7 through Friday March 11 from 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
For more information on scabies, visit the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/. For information about
the situation at the specific facilities visit Dartmouth-Hitchcock at
http://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/ and Catholic Medical Center at
https://www.catholicmedicalcenter.org/.
You’re one click away! Sign up for our free eNewsletter and never miss another thing.