Fungal meningitis outbreak has slowed but isn't over yet

While the nation's fungal meningitis outbreak has slowed, it hasn't ended, according to health professionals.

Patients continue to seek treatment for meningitis-related symptoms more than four months into the outbreak, which has been linked to contaminated steroid injections given to treat back pain.

"We're seeing about two patients in, two patients out a day," said Laura Blodgett, a spokeswoman for Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in Washtenaw County's Superior Township, which is the treatment center for local cases. "It's been holding steady."

As of Monday, 23 patients remained hospitalized at Saint Joseph Mercy.

While no new cases of cases of full-blown meningitis were reported in Michigan over the past six weeks, patients continue to seek follow-up care.

Patients also seek treatment for epidural abscesses, infections near spinal areas where the contaminated steroids were injected.

The number of abscesses and meningitis-related joint infections has continued to grow even as the number of cases of full-blown meningitis have leveled off.

Last week, the Michigan Department of Community Health reported three new cases of epidural abscesses. Medical professionals consider the abscesses dangerous because they could spread meningitis through a patient's body if left untreated.

Last week, the Michigan Department of Community Health reported three new cases of epidural abscesses. Medical professionals consider the abscesses dangerous because they could spread meningitis through a patient's body if left untreated.

According to the department, one of the 13 Michigan-related meningitis deaths has now been linked to an epidural abscess.

As of Friday, the department reported 232 overall cases including 64 cases of full blown meningitis, including 38 cases of meningitis with abscesses and 146 epidural abscesses alone. Other cases include 21 joint infections, including one with an abscess, and one meningitis-related stroke.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Michigan Pain Specialists in Genoa Township was one of four Michigan facilities to have received the contaminated steroids.

The contaminated steroids were mixed at the New England Compounding Center, a now-closed facility in Framingham, Mass.

Michigan accounted for one-third of all cases recorded during the 19-state outbreak, according to figures released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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