Maui Officials Release Education Info on Fungal Meningitis

Fungal meningitis is rare and usually the result of spread of a fungus through blood to the spinal cord. Image of Exserohilum rostratum. Photo courtesy CDC.

Maui Now Staff

Maui County is working together with federal and state public health organizations to help increase education and awareness regarding a fungal meningitis outbreak in the US.

So far, there are no local cases linked to the fungal meningitis outbreak, according to officials with the state Department of Health.

There have been a total of 119 recorded cases of infection involving potentially contaminated steroid injections on the mainland, county officials said.

Below are several links to information regarding the outbreak.

The links are:

• Hawaii Department of Health, Disease Outbreak Control Division: http://hawaii.gov/health/DOCD/index.html
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Multistate Meningitis Outbreak Investigation: http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis.html
• US Food and Drug Administration, FDA Statement on Fungal Meningitis Outbreak: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm322734.htm
• New England Compounding Center Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All Products: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm322901.htm
• FDA Safety Recall List: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/UCM322970.pdf