Relapse of Fungal Meningitis Associated with Contaminated Methylprednisolone

Abstract

Since September 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local health departments have been investigating an outbreak of fungal infections associated with injections from three lots of contaminated methylprednisolone acetate produced at a single compounding pharmacy.¹ As of May 6, 2013, a total of 741 cases have been reported in 20 states, with 55 deaths. The primary pathogen isolated from patient specimens has been Exserohilum rostratum, which has also been recovered from sealed vials of methylprednisolone acetate. Before this outbreak, human infections with E. rostratum were rarely reported.^2,3