The CDC lab has identified Exserohilum (pictured above) as the primary fungus responsible for the current meningitis outbreak. Photo courtesy of the CDC Public Health Image Library.
1. WHAT’S GOING ON?
- As of October 23, 2012, 204 cases, including 23 deaths, of fungal meningitis have been reported in 17 states (see case count map). Four cases of joint infections have also been reported.
- The meningitis and infections have been linked to three lots (i.e. batches) of an injectable steroid medication produced by New England Compounding Company (NECC) (see health care facilities map).
- The implicated lots of medication have been recalled; however, approx. 14,000 people may have been exposed to the contaminated injectable steroid medication.
- The medication in question differs from the epidural given to pregnant women during childbirth.
- For more information, visit CDC’s Current Situation webpage.
2. WHAT’S FUNGAL MENINGITIS?
- Meningitis is the swelling of the protective membranes (called meninges) covering the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by a bacteria, virus, or, in this case, a fungus.
- Fungal meningitis is rare and usually caused by the spread of a fungus through blood to the spinal cord.
- The fungal meningitis associated with this outbreak is not contagious.
- In addition to typical meningitis symptoms – headache, fever, nausea, and stiffness of the neck – people with fungal meningitis may also experience confusion, dizziness, and discomfort from bright lights. Symptoms often appear gradually over several weeks and can be mild at first.
3. WHAT’S CDC DOING TO CONTROL THE OUTBREAK?
- As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate the meningitis outbreak response efforts with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial public health partners. Since October 16, 2012, 225 experts have worked in the EOC in support of the response.
Dr. Benjamin Park (above), EOC surveillance team lead, updates the incident manager and colleagues on CDC activities in response to the meningitis outbreak.
- CDC has been working around-the-clock with state health departments to contact the approx. 14,000 people who may have been exposed to the contaminated injectable steroid medication.
- CDC continues to work with states and the Food and Drug Administration to determine if there may be other fungal infections caused by exposure to NECC products beyond the three lots of injectable steroid medication.
- The CDC lab continues to test samples from potentially affected patients and has confirmed Exserohilum as the primary fungus in this outbreak.
- CDC continues to provide guidance to clinicians and answers to frequently asked questions for patients and the public.
4. WHERE DO I GO FOR EVEN MORE INFO?
- Visit CDC’s Multistate Meningitis Outbreak webpage, which is regularly updated as new information becomes available
Subscribe HERE to the CDC Works for You 24/7 blog RSS feed to stay updated on CDC’s around-the-clock work to save lives and protect people like you from health threats.
Some information was missing or invalid. Please see below for details.
Public Comments
Comments listed below are posted by individuals not associated with CDC, unless otherwise stated. These comments do not represent the official views of CDC, and CDC does not guarantee that any information posted by individuals on this blog is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. Read more about our comment policy ».
October 18, 2012 at 2:28 pm ET - diana horton
i am one of the many thousands told by the health dept that i may have been infected . i am very afraid
and stressed out over all this. i will be going to the e.r. as soon as i take my shower and get dressed. to say i am afraid to go there and find out. i have had a sore neck for about a week now, and i went to see my dr’s
office and was told i was in the range that i would most likely be o.k. i ask if any one from my clinic was sick and was told that no one was. i go home and was on the web looking at the news paper and there was a person sick from my clinic, two days later another one. it also said that my clinic when called would not say anything and hung up. they would not even give a name of who they were speaking to. i mean, whats up with that. i know the cdc is doing all they can and it sounds like they have one heck of a job to do. i must say that is the only thing i feel safe about. it just scares me because i had three injectiions in three different facets on aug 23 12 i hope everything goes o.k. thanks cdc for keeping us up to date..
Link to this comment
AUTHOR COMMENT October 19, 2012 at 2:25 pm ET - Admin
Thanks for sharing your story. We’re sorry to hear you’re afraid and stressed about this situation, but you’re doing the right thing by connecting with a healthcare provider. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out CDC’s FAQ for patients: http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/patients/faq-meningitis-outbreak-patients.html .
Link to this comment
October 18, 2012 at 10:57 pm ET - Joanne DeHerrera
Hello, I looked at your website, and my city is on that site for Healthcare Facilities. I read ,’May 21st’, so my question is; could someone who had the shot in January in one of those facilities perhaps have it? Also, do doctor’s offices in small towns get the injections from such clinics? I know this is serious, so could whoever is running the CD_eHealth on twitter, pay more attention to the tweets with questions about this? Thank you!
Link to this comment
AUTHOR COMMENT October 19, 2012 at 2:30 pm ET - Admin
Thanks for reaching out. If someone received an injectable steroid in January 2012, they don’t meet the criteria for the case definition (http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/clinicians/casedef_multistate_outbreak.html). Only people who received injections on or after May 21, 2012, meet these criteria. If you have reason to believe you’re at risk for meningitis or infection, contact your healthcare provider’s office and ask if the medication he/she used came from one of the three contaminated batches of medication produced by New England Compounding Company. For further information, check out CDC’s FAQ for patients (http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/patients/faq-meningitis-outbreak-patients.html) and FDA’s questions and answers (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm322735.htm).
Link to this comment
October 20, 2012 at 12:58 pm ET - MAE
I received billateral occipital nerve blocks (injections) as well as injections bilateral shoulder. The facility i use is on the list of facilities that received recalled products from NECC. I am awarebthatnrheynuse a different type of steroid(kenalog). But lidocaine is mixed with the injections. I’m not sure if anything else is in the mix. Are the facilities required to call patients who might have been given a recalled product but that has not been currently linked to any illnesses. My last shots wee June 6 2012.
Link to this comment
AUTHOR COMMENT October 23, 2012 at 4:40 pm ET - Admin
Thanks for your comment. CDC doesn’t have firm evidence that fungal infections have been caused by exposure to other NECC products beyond the three lots of contaminated injectable steroid medication (methylprednisolone acetate). Out of an abundance of caution, FDA has asked doctors to contact patients who received an NECC injectable product after May 21, 2012. If you have taken or used any medication from NECC and feel sick, please seek medical attention. If you have additional questions about the safety of medication you received, contact FDA at 1-800-332-1088.
Link to this comment