Seven people have died in connection with a fungal meningitis outbreak linked with certain surgical procedures in Mexico, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Investigators have identified 161 US residents who might be at risk of illness because they received epidural anesthesia at one of two clinics in Matamoros this year, the agency said in an update. Among them, there are 15 suspected cases, 10 probable cases and nine confirmed cases of fungal meningitis.
The outbreak was first reported in May.
The CDC urges anyone who had epidural anesthesia at the River Side Surgical Center or Clinica K-3 in Matamoros between January 1 and May 13 to go to a health center, urgent care or emergency room as soon as possible to be tested for meningitis, even if they don’t have symptoms. People who test positive for infection will be given antifungal medicines; those who test negative will be asked to watch for symptoms and possibly to return after two weeks for further testing.
Fungal meningitis is not spread from person to person. Symptoms of meningitis can include fever, headache, stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to light and changes in mental status. They may take weeks to develop and be mild at first, but they can quickly become severe and life-threatening.
CNN’s Katherine Dillinger contributed to this report.