Rare Form Of Meningitis Outbreak Linked To Steroid Injections For Back Pain
The amount of U.S. meningitis cases continues to rise with 50 people now stricken with the rare form of the disease in seven states. Five people have died since the outbreak began.
The latest (and seventh) state to confirm cases of the fungal meningitis is Michigan, where six have been noted to have fallen ill after getting steroid injections, mainly for pain in their back. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia have also been hit with cases.
According to officials, Tennessee is the hardest hit, where the number of folks infected rose to 29. No deaths were reported on Oct. 5 but more patients have been admitted into intensive care in critical condition. Three deaths were noted in Tennessee with one apiece in Maryland and Virginia.
The outbreak has been linked to vials of steroids that were sent out to 76 facilities in 23 states. Authorities say thousands of patients may have been injected with the contaminated vials.
Dr. Benjamin Park, CDC Mycotic Diseases Branch medical officer, said patients who have been injected need to be located right away. With immediate treatment with the right antifungal therapy, they could fight the disease. Fungal meningitis, although life-threatening and rare, is not spread by close contact.
The CDC said infected patients have presented with a number of symptoms, one to four weeks after they were injected including: new or worsening headache, fever, neurological problem and nausea.
All cases have been tracked back to three lots of steroid made at the Farmington, Massachusetts’ New England Compounding Center, Inc. The company halted all operations during the investigation process.
According to the Massachusetts Health Department, each lot of the methylprednisone acetate had more than 17,600 vials with a shelf life of 180 days. The vials were shipped out from July through September.
Patients who usually use a steroid injection are advised to speak with their doctor about an oral back pain medication until the CDC determines that all contaminated vials are no longer on the market.
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