After receiving epidural anaesthesia for surgery in Matamoros, Mexico, two Americans perished from what is thought to be an outbreak of fungal meningitis.
According to the BBC, authorities in the US and Mexico have asked the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a public health emergency due to an outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to cosmetic surgery in Mexico.
Notably, two Americans have passed away from suspected fungal meningitis after undergoing surgery in Matamoros, Mexico, while under epidural anaesthesia. Both patients had undergone liposuction, a procedure that removes fat from specific body parts.
Hundreds more people may be at risk, according to a warning from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, there are currently 25 people in the US who have ''suspected'' or ''probable'' cases of fungal meningitis. Between January and May 13 more than 200 Americans who visited
'Officials have identified two clinics associated with the outbreak, River Side Surgical Center and Clinica K-3. These clinics were closed on May 13, 2023,'' CDC wrote.
The CDC is also collaborating with 25 state and local health departments to reach out to Americans who may have been exposed and suggest them to see their local urgent care, emergency room, or health centre for meningitis diagnostic testing. Antifungal medications will be given to those who test positive for infection, while those who test negative will be asked to wait for signs.
Notably, since they are less expensive, many Americans fly to Mexico for cosmetic operations including liposuction, breast augmentation, and Brazilian butt lifts. An epidural, or spinal anaesthetic injection, is used throughout the procedures. However, two private hospitals used contaminated anaesthesia drugs that were used in the present incident.
Meningitis symptoms may include fever, stiff neck, headache, nausea, sensitivity to light, and changes in mental status. Fungal meningitis infections are not contagious and cannot be passed from one person to another, according to the CDC. Once symptoms appear, though, it can quickly become a life-threatening condition.
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 "US, Mexico trigger alarm over cosmetic surgery-linked fungal meningitis")
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