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At least five U.S. residents contracted nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections after getting facelift surgeries at the same clinic in Zapopan, Mexico. Cases were linked through social media, prompting a binational CDC and Mexico Ministry of Health investigation. The facility was shut down after sterilization lapses were discovered, and the CDC has since launched a new national surveillance system to track medical tourism-related health complications.
Five U.S. residents developed serious bacterial infections — specifically nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) — after undergoing facelift procedures at the same surgical facility in Zapopan, Mexico. The cases, published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, were initially connected when a California patient reached out via social media to others who had visited the same surgeon. Infections included M. abscessus and M. fortuitum, with a median symptom onset of 33 days post-procedure. No deaths were reported, but several patients are still undergoing treatment, drainage procedures, and corrective surgeries for scarring.
A February 2026 inspection of the facility revealed lapses in surgical instrument sterilization, leading to the closure of the operating area and confiscation of instruments. The CDC and Mexico's Ministry of Health are continuing their binational investigation to identify additional cases.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: As medical tourism grows in popularity, this outbreak highlights the real risks of seeking care at poorly regulated facilities overseas. The CDC's new MTSS aims to detect similar outbreaks faster and coordinate responses more effectively.
