US Centers reports 91 cases of fungal meningitis outbreak

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported new total 91 cases of fungal meningitis outbreak. Most of the new cases were reported in Michigan, where the total increased to 20 from eight.

On Sunday, US health officials reported more 27 cases in a fungal meningitis outbreak linked to steroid injections which has killed seven people and now infected 91 in the nine states.

Most of the new cases were reported in Michigan, where the total rose to 20 from eight. Meanwhile, Virginia’s total rose to 18 from 11.  

The widening outbreak has shocked US health officials and focused attention on regulation of pharmaceutical companies like the one that produced drugs.

The Massachusetts Health Department said, the company shipped 17,676 vials of the steroid methylprednisolone acetate to 76 facilities in 23 states from July through September.

The company has suspended its operations while the investigation proceeds and earlier recalled the three lots of drug. As per the announcement on its website, the company issued broader recall out of an abundance of caution due to the potential risk of contamination.

Nine states where fungal meningitis has been reported are Indiana, Maryland, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

Meningitis is an infection of membranes that covers the brain and spinal cord, and affected patients started showing symptoms from one to four weeks after their injections.

The fungal meningitis symptoms include headache, nausea and neurological problems which would be consistent with deep brain stroke.