Both patients had liposuction
US and Mexican officials have appealed to the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency over an outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to cosmetic surgery in Mexico. BBC informed of.
Specifically, two Americans have died due to a suspected fungal meningitis outbreak after surgery under epidural anesthesia in Matamoros, Mexico. Both patients had liposuction, in which fat is removed from areas of the body.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention There are warnings that hundreds more could be at risk. The CDC said it has already identified 25 people with ‘suspected’ or ‘probable’ cases of fungal meningitis in the US. More than 200 Americans who traveled to clinics in Matamoros between January and May 13 are at risk.
”Officials have identified two clinics linked to the outbreak, Riverside Surgical Center and Clinica K-3. These clinics were closed on May 13, 2023. CDC wrote.
CDC is also working with 25 state and local health departments to contact potentially at-risk people in the US and refer them to their nearest health center, urgent care or emergency room for a diagnostic test for meningitis. advice can be given. Those who test positive for the infection will be given antifungal drugs and those who test negative will be asked to monitor themselves for symptoms.
In particular, many US citizens travel to Mexico for cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation and Brazilian butt lifts because they are cheaper. The surgery involves an epidural—an anesthetic injection around the spinal column. However, in the current outbreak the drug used for anesthesia was contaminated and was used in two private hospitals.
Symptoms of meningitis may include fever, headache, stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and changes in mental status. The CDC notes that fungal meningitis infections are not contagious and are not transmitted from person to person. However, it can quickly become life-threatening once symptoms appear.