88-Year-Old Woman Latest Michigan Meningitis Death
LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Officials say an 88-year-old Ingham County woman is the ninth Michigan resident to die in a national meningitis outbreak.
The woman was added to the meningitis update Wednesday by the state Department of Community Health. No other details about her were released.
There have been 64 Michigan cases of meningitis, including the nine deaths. In addition, there have been 54 epidural abscesses, one stroke and six joint infections.
A potentially contaminated product is suspected to be the cause of the outbreak. Interim data show that infected patients received injection with preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate prepared by the New England Compounding Center (NECC), located in Framingham, Mass. On Sept. 25, the NECC recalled three lots of product associated with known cases of fungal meningitis.
Four Michigan facilities received shipments of these recalled lots and are working with MDCH to identify and notify patients who may have received this product and be at risk for developing illness. The facilities are:
- Michigan Neurosurgical Institutes in Grand Blanc
- Michigan Pain Specialists in Brighton
- Neuromuscular and Rehabilitation in Traverse City
- Southeast Michigan Surgical Hospital in Warren
Michigan health officials say people who got the shots between July and September could be at risk, and they do expect the number of cases to continue to rise.
Fungal meningitis is not transmitted person-to-person. Infected patients have presented approximately one to four weeks following their injection with a variety of symptoms including fever, new or worsening headache, nausea, and other symptoms consistent with a stroke. Some of these patients' symptoms were very mild in nature.
Any individual who received an epidural steroid injection or steroid injection into a joint at one of the four Michigan facilities and is experiencing symptoms consistent with fungal meningitis or a stroke should immediately contact their physician or seek medical attention.
Additional information about this investigation can be found at www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.
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