Georgia confirms 1st case of fungal meningitis

ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia officials say they've confirmed the state's first case of fungal meningitis linked to steroid shots for back pain. The Georgia Department of Public Health said Tuesday the patient is a 66-year-old Bibb County woman. She is considered stable, is not hospitalized and is being cared for by an infectious disease physician. Officials say she received an injection for back pain at the Forsyth Street Ambulatory Surgery Center in Macon. The center received steroids produced by the Massachusetts pharmacy at the center of the outbreak, the New England Compounding Center. The surgery center has been alerting patients who received the injections.
The outbreak has sickened nearly 300 people in 16 states, including 23 who died. Each received a steroid shot, mostly for back pain. . © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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