First case of fungal meningitis linked to national outbreak reported in Pa.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health today announced the first case of fungal meningitis linked to the national outbreak found in a patient in the central part of the state.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 205 cases, resulting in 15 deaths, not including the Pennsylvania case, linked to contaminated steroid injections produced by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass.

Health officials said only two locations in Pennsylvania received shipments of the particular type of steroid linked to the outbreak: Allegheny Pain Management in Altoony and South Hills Pain Clinic in Allegheny County. The infected patient, who received an epidural steroid injection in July at the center in Altoona, was found as part of an ongoing record review and patient follow-up by the department.

At this time, no cases have been reported from the South Hill Pain Clinic, officials said.

“We have been working directly with the clinics to ensure that patients who received these injections are monitored and receive any necessary follow-up,” said Acting Secretary of Health Michael Wolf.

The patient, who is currently hospitalized, is receiving the care and medications recommended by the CDC.

The majority of cases have been reported in Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Indiana and Maryland. Eight cases have been reported in New Jersey, although none of them have been fatal.