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- Title
Estimated Deaths and Illnesses Averted During Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Associated with Contaminated Steroid Injections, United States, 2012-2013.
- Authors
Smith, Rachel M.; Derado, Gordana; Wise, Matthew; Harris, Julie R.; Chiller, Tom; Meltzer, Martin I.; Park, Benjamin J.
- Abstract
During 2012-2013, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and partners responded to a multistate outbreak of fungal infections linked to methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) injections produced by a compounding pharmacy. We evaluated the effects of public health actions on the scope of this outbreak. A comparison of 60-day case-fatality rates and clinical characteristics of patients given a diagnosis on or before October 4, the date the outbreak was widely publicized, with those of patients given a diagnosis after October 4 showed that an estimated 3,150 MPA injections, 153 cases of meningitis or stroke, and 124 deaths were averted. Compared with diagnosis after October 4, diagnosis on or before October 4 was significantly associated with a higher 60-day casefatality rate (28% vs. 5%; p<0.0001). Aggressive public health action resulted in a substantially reduced estimated number of persons affected by this outbreak and improved survival of affected patients.
- Subjects
FUNGAL meningitis; PUBLIC health research; METHYLPREDNISOLONE; DISEASE outbreaks; STROKE
- Publication
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2015, Vol 21, Issue 6, p933
- ISSN
1080-6040
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3201/eid2106.141558