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Laboratory technician Ruth Rutledge packages cerebrospinal fluid of the three confirmed meningitis cases in Minn., to send to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for further testing, at the Minnesota Department of Health in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. The states involved in the outbreak are Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey and Ohio. Officials have tied the outbreak of rare fungal meningitis to steroid shots for back pain. (AP Photo/Hannah Foslien) (January 15, 2013) |
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say a 15th Michigan resident has died as a result of an infection linked to contaminated steroids supplied by a Massachusetts pharmaceutical company.
The Michigan Department of Community Health says at least 241 people have been infected with fungal meningitis and other conditions that are part of a national disease outbreak. The steroids are used in injections to treat neck and back pain.
The department says the latest person to die was an 88-year-old Washtenaw County woman.
As of Monday, the department says there have been 67 cases of fungal meningitis, 151 epidural abscesses, one stroke and 22 peripheral joint infections in Michigan tied to the steroids.
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Online:
Michigan Department of Community Health meningitis link: http://1.usa.gov/Wom9rn
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meningitis outbreak map: http://1.usa.gov/Qsw1eU
