Estimated deaths and illnesses averted during fungal meningitis outbreak associated with contaminated steroid injections, United States, 2012-2013.

Estimated deaths and illnesses averted during fungal meningitis outbreak associated with contaminated steroid injections, United States, 2012-2013.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Jun;21(6):933-40
Authors: Smith RM, Derado G, Wise M, Harris JR, Chiller T, Meltzer MI, Park BJ
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 case-fatality 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.
PMID: 25989264 [PubMed - in process]

Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases - May 22, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Smith RM, Derado G, Wise M, Harris JR, Chiller T, Meltzer MI, Park BJ Tags: Emerg Infect Dis Source Type: research