13,000 People Injected With Meningitis: Courtesy of Big Pharma (VIDEO)

As of Monday, contaminated steroids have sickened 105 people with a noncontagious but deadly form of fungal meningitis, while 13,000 people may have been exposed to the contamination. Eight have died. Health officials attribute the outbreak to spinal steroid injections for back pain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found fungus in sealed vials of the steroid in question, produced by the Massachusetts-based pharmacy, New England Compounding Center (NECC). The NECC voluntarily recalled all of its products on Saturday and surrendered its license to operate until completion of the FDA's investigation.

You can find a list of the 76 medical facilities that obtained the steroid at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

What is Fungal Meningitis?

Meningitis inflames the membranes protecting the brain and spinal cord. Usually brought on by a viral or bacterial infection, fungal infection is rare and not contagious but no less deadly. Symptoms include headache; fever; nausea; stiffness of the neck; and (in the case of fungal infection) confusion, dizziness, and aversion to bright light. Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University Medical Center says that because blood vessels clot or bleed in response to fungal infections, symptoms are rarely mild and can be as severe as small strokes.

Because patients treated earlier have greater chances of survival, health officials encourage people with symptoms to seek aid.