Infections rise from meningitis outbreak

Posted: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 8:00 pm

NASHVILLE (AP) — The number of people sickened in Tennessee related to an outbreak of fungal meningitis climbed to 145, an increase of five more patients compared to last week.
Nationwide the number of people who have gotten sick has increased to 678 patients with 44 deaths. The outbreak is linked to steroid injections from a Massachusetts-based compounding pharmacy.
The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/Vc2yci ) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that four of the new cases reported in Tennessee are infections near the spine where the injection occurred and one is a patient with both fungal meningitis and an infection at the site of the injection.
Fourteen people in Tennessee have died. Fungal meningitis is not contagious.
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Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com
Published in The Messenger 1.16.13