Medical tourism in Mexico leads to life-threatening meningitis infection
A woman who traveled to Mexico for an experimental stem cell therapy to treat her multiple sclerosis developed a life-threatening bacterial meningitis infection from contaminated medical equipment. The patient received stem cell injections into the spinal fluid in her lower back, likely contaminated with the bacteria Mycobacterium abscessus. Bacterial meningitis is a deadly infection, and treatment is challenging when it affects the brain and spinal fluid. American doctors are concerned about medical tourism, as patients may unknowingly put themselves at risk for cheaper or more innovative treatments abroad that lack stringent quality controls. Physicians urge caution and advise against pursuing medical procedures overseas.