Seven reported dead from fungal meningitis in U.S. after surgery at two clinics in Mexico

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported seven deaths from fungal meningitis after having surgery in Mexico, CNN reported.

The CDC report states that 161 U.S. residents, nine of whom have already tested positive, may have gotten the disease from two clinics in the city of Heroica Matamoros, located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas and just a few miles from the border. The federal agency recommends that anyone at risk or with symptoms report to a doctor’s office or hospital for testing.

According to the CDC, fungal meningitis is a disease caused by various fungi present in the environment and is contracted by inhaling the spores of these organisms. Common symptoms include neck stiffness, headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, confusion and increased sensitivity to light. The most effective treatment to cure the disease is based on antifungal drugs, either intravenously or orally.