120 Michigan infections linked to meningitis outbreak

Health officials: 120 infections, 8 deaths in Michigan linked to national meningitis outbreak

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Published On: Nov 05 2012 07:16:02 PM EST
meningitis outbreak image
LANSING, Mich. -

Authorities are reporting 120 infections and eight deaths in Michigan in a national outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to contaminated steroids from a Massachusetts pharmacy.

The Michigan Department of Community Health reported the new figures Monday.

Michigan's eight deaths include a Cass County woman whose meningitis was linked to treatments for back pain across the border at an Indiana clinic. Two deaths were from Washtenaw County and one each from Charlevoix, Genesee, Livingston, Oakland and Wayne counties.

The state says one of the deaths was caused by a stroke, while the others were meningitis cases.

The Michigan infections include 51 epidural abscesses and six joint infections related to the same contaminated steroids.

Online:

Michigan Department of Community Health meningitis link.

CDC meningitis outbreak map.