New questions about treating deadly meningitis outbreak

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New questions about the best way to treat the deadly meningitis outbreak according to the Centers for Disease Control.

There are now 285.

Confirmed cases tied to contaminated steroid shots.

23 people died and thousands of people who received the shots could still be in danger.

Jonathan Serrie is live in Atlanta Jonathan.

Hi John the dilemma is -- if you treat every single one of these patients exposed to this potentially a contaminated -- some doctors believe you may end up doing more harm than good to put this -- -- perspective the Tennessee department of health estimates that only 5% of the patients exposed are getting sick.

So those figures hold true for the rest of the nation preemptive treatment would subject the 95%.

Of the patients who are healthy.

To potentially dangerous anti fungal medications which require long hospital -- and can cause serious side effects.

Including kidney and liver damage what's important is identifying symptoms early in the patients who developed fungal infections.

Take a look at the most common initial symptoms for patients being sickened by this outbreak.

Less than 15% of patients start out with typical signs of meningitis.

The vast majority 81%.

Start out with headache and about a third will develop fever or nausea.

North Carolina recently reported its first death in connection with this outbreak.

Family members have identified the victim as 77 year old L Wiener show off and say she had been suffering severe headaches for more than a month.

Before doctors realized what was wrong so John while only a small fraction of these patients exposed to these potentially dangerous -- May actually get sick it's important that all of them.

Their families and physicians.

Pay close attention to any unusual symptoms John you know -- to be so many nervous people out there Jonathan -- Atlanta thanks.

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