The deadly meningitis outbreak, spread through an epidural steroid injection meant to relieve back pain, has put 13,000 U.S. citizens at risk for infection.
Jamila Jones of the Center for Disease Control, explains: "We know that 13,000 people received the injection. They received it at facilities across the country. they are at risk."
The contamination originated from the Framingham, Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center (NECC), which recently recalled all of its products. The contaminated steroid, known as methylprednisolone acetate, contains a very rare fungal infection known as aspergillus meningitis. As with any form of meningitis, the illness causes inflammation in the brain and spine's protective membrane.
On its official site, NECC writes that the recall "is being taken out of an abundance of caution due to the potential risk of contamination, and in cooperation with an investigation being conducted by the Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy."
The case count of infections has risen to 105, affecting 9 states and killing 8 people. Here's the breakdown: Maryland reports 5 cases and 1 death, Michigan reports 21 cases and 2 deaths, Tennessee reports 35 cases and 4 deaths, Virginia reports 23 cases and 1 death, Florida reports 4 cases, Indiana reports 11 cases, Minnesota reports 3 cases, North Carolina reports 2 cases, and Ohio reports 1 case.
The steroid was also shipped to facilities in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia, although no cases have sprung up in these states as of yet.
Dr. Michael O'Connel of New Hampshire states, "we are watching [our patients] very carefully. We are just at the beginning of this. If a contaminated medication with the fungus is injected, it could be a week or four weeks" before diagnosis.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, altered mental states, fever, headache, stiff neck, hallucinations, and personality changes. Treatment usually involves prolonged courses of high dose antifungal medications through an IV line, according to the CDC. Treatment length may vary depending on the patient's immune system, lasting months in some cases.
For a full list of NECC's recalled medications, click here.