The first case of fungal meningitis linked to the national outbreak was reported in Pennsylvania yesterday.  The outbreak is believed to have started from contaminated steriod produced by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass.

Earlier in the month it was reported that the infected lots of steroids were delivered to a clinic in Altoona and a clinic in the South Hills.  The case reported in Central Pennsylvania today was a patient at Allegheny Pain Management in Altoona.

The Pennsylvania patient, who was not identified, is hospitalized in Altoona. This strain of meningitis isn't contagious and doesn't spread between people. It is likely isolated to the contaminated steroid, produced by the New England Compounding Center.

Fungal Meningitis is very rare.  This strain is caused by a fungus that is common in dirt and grasses – people routinely come into contact with it without getting sick – but it has never before been identified as the cause of meningitis.

According to the CDC there have 15 deaths and several strokes caused by the fungal meningitis outbreak.  A total of 205 cases of fungal meningitis have been reported in Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

For more information please click here: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/10/fungal_meningitis_outbreak_rea_1.html