A second death in the United States has been attributed to a suspected outbreak of fungal meningitis among people who had surgery under epidural anesthesia in Matamoros, Mexico, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. acronym in English). Several hundred people are at risk, the agency warns.
The CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services reported last week that five Texas residents became ill, one fatally, after undergoing surgery at Riverside Surgery or the K-3 Clinic in Matamoros. In all interventions an epidural was applied, an anesthetic that is injected into the area around the spine.
The Mexican Ministry of Health CDC sent the number of patients of 221 US patients who could be at risk because they were identified in these clinics between January 1 and 1 and May 13, according to the US operator, and three other patients. As of Wednesday, according to the CDC, there have been two deaths, nine suspected cases of infection and nine probable cases.
The CDC urges anyone who received epidural anesthesia at one of these clinics at the time to go to a health center or emergency room as soon as they are diagnosed with meningitis, even if they do not have symptoms. People who test positive will be given antifungal medication; Those who test negative will be asked to monitor their symptoms and possibly return for further testing in two weeks.
Fungal meningitis is not transmitted from person to person. Symptoms of meningitis can include fever, headache, stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and mental status changes. It may take weeks to develop mild and mild at first, but it can quickly become serious and life-threatening.
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Health authorities are urging prospective patients to avoid certain areas in Matamoros while they investigate the outbreak.
Medical tourism, including to Mexico, has become more common among people seeking lower-cost options and shorter waiting times for care, especially dental care, surgery, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments and other procedures.
In the travel advisory, the CDC notes that all medical procedures “carry some risk, and complications for which treatment may be received.”
“If you are going to another country for the procedure, seek medical attention so you don’t delay if you have complications on the way or after you return home,” he said.
