An eastern Idaho man previously thought to have fungal meningitis does not have it, according to The Pain Specialists of Idaho.

The 60-year-old man was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center after having symptoms of blurred vision a few weeks after receiving an epidural steroid injection. He was immediately put on anti-fungal medication and was in the hospital for about 10 days.

The case is notable because of a recall of injections from Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center. The patient had allegedly contracted the disease from contaminated steroid injections. On Friday, the number of fungal meningitis cases linked to NECC were 257 and 20 deaths nationwide. 

The disease is not contagious.

On Thursday, the patient was discharged after the final test results came back negative. He is no longer on anti-fungal drugs. Doctors are still monitoring him as a precaution. We are told the patient is at home and doing very well.

A fungal stain is needed to confirm fungal meningitis, and those test results can take more than a week to obtain. The CDC recommended the patient be treated as if it was a confirmed meningitis case while the test results were pending.

Upon receiving negative results, the CDC notified doctors that the patient no longer needed anti-fungal medication and could be discharged.