26 May 2023 , 14:13
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Patients in the US travelling to Mexico for cosmetic surgery are being left with serve fungal infections in the spine and brain.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are thought to be more than 200 Americans at risk of the disease after travelling to clinics in Matamoros, Mexico between January and May 13.
Two patients have died after being struck down with cases of fungal meningitis, a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
According to health officials, five women in their 30s-50s from Texas have been infected with the disease after travelling to the Mexican city of Matamoros for cut-price cosmetic surgery.
All the patients had recently undergone surgeries which required an epidural - an anaesthetic injection around the spinal column.
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Officials believe doctors used un-sterilized equipment which caused the infection.
Fungal meningitis is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (Getty Images/iStockphoto)In addition, the surgeries were for liposuction, which is where fat is removed from areas of the body, at the River Side Surgical Centre and Clinica K-3.
The medical centres have since been forced to temporarily shut by authorities amid infection fears.
Health authorities in Mexico, along with the CDC, believe there are a further three potential patients in Texas who have the disease.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has asked travellers, who recently travelled to Mexico for surgery, to be aware as symptoms develop around three days to six weeks after the procedures.
The K-3 medical clinic has been forced to close by authorities (AFP via Getty Images)Officials urged anyone who had an epidural in Matamoros after January 1 to monitor themselves for symptoms and seek medical assistance.
DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford said in the alert: “It is very important that people who have recently had medical procedures in Mexico monitor themselves for symptoms of meningitis.
"Meningitis, especially when caused by bacteria or fungus, can be a life-threatening illness unless treated promptly."
Meningitis, which is caused by bacteria or fungus, can be life-threatening as it can swell the membranes around the brain and spinal cord.
The Centro Medico has also been forced to close (AFP via Getty Images)Fungal infections kill around 1.6million people a year and are particularly fatal to vulnerable patients who are receiving chemotherapy which depletes their immune system.
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Some of the early symptoms include headaches, stiff neck, sensitivity to light and a fever.
The CDC has urged Americans to cancel all surgeries booked in Matamoros, Mexico, amid fears of further infection.
If the symptoms are not treated quickly, patients can suffer seizures, fall into a coma and die from the infections.
Treatment can involve administering a course of antifungal medications into a vein via an IV drip.