Hundreds seen at risk in meningitis outbreak

October 5, 2012 - 9:27 am | Category: Health

So far, five people have died from a meningitis outbreak, but health officials said Thursday that hundreds, and maybe even thousands, could be at risk now that the outbreak has been linked to steroid back injections in 23 states.

At this point, 35 people from six states — Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina and Indiana — have gotten fungal meningitis and all had received steroid shots for back pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA is advising doctors not to use any products from the Massachusetts pharmacy that supplied the steroid solution that is apparently contaminated with fungus.