State health officials are contacting patients of four healthcare facilities in western, central and southern Ohio to make sure they were not exposed to a potentially contaminated steroid that could cause meningitis.

The Mahoning County Health Department said on Monday they were asked by state officials to contact healthcare providers in the county to be aware of subtle symptoms of fungal meningitis that could stem from an injected steroid used to treat back pain.

All counties have been asked to do so.

"It's kind of a slow-brewing meningitis, so if they present with symptoms of a headache, a severe headache, or fever or stiff neck, that could be associated with having a spinal injection with this prednisone, they they want to follow up," said Mahoning County Health Commissioner Patricia Sweeney.

The Ohio Department of Health said certain medication made by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass. may be contaminated with a fungus that has caused some patients, including a 65-year-old Ohio man, to develop a rare form of fungal meningitis and stroke.

Officials have not released the county where the man resides in order to protect his identity, a news release said.

The four healthcare facilities that have used the injections are: Marion Pain Clinic and BKC Pain Specialists in Marion, Cincinnati Pain Management and Ortho-Spine Rehab Center in Dublin.

The ODH said the majority of the patients have already been contacted.

Although this type of meningitis does not spread person to person, its still very important for us to make sure every patient who potentially received a tainted drug gets in touch with their healthcare provider, said ODH Director Dr. Ted Wymyslo. The fungal meningitis that could be caused by this injection has very subtle symptoms and these Ohioans need to know what type of health changes could indicate an infection and when to seek treatment.

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Officials Warn Health Care Providers of Meningitis Scare