- A patient ventured to Mexico to undergo an experimental stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis.
- Unfortunately, she contracted bacterial meningitis, a potentially fatal disease, due to contaminated medical equipment.
- Speaking to Insider, her doctor advised against seeking medical procedures abroad, stating that the risk is not worth it.
In October 2022, a patient sought an experimental treatment in Baja California, Mexico for alleviating her multiple sclerosis symptoms. Unfortunately, after returning to the United States, she developed a headache and fever, which were later diagnosed as bacterial meningitis.
During her time in Mexico, she had planned to receive a four-day experimental treatment involving stem cell injections into her lower back’s spinal fluid. However, it appears that she received injections with a contaminated solution.
In a case reported in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, it is evident that medical tourism can have dire consequences. American doctors are concerned that patients unknowingly put themselves at risk of serious illnesses for the sake of cheaper or supposedly innovative treatments offered abroad.
Bacterial meningitis poses a grave risk
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Meningitis involves inflammation of the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Bacterial meningitis is especially dangerous, potentially resulting in long-term effects such as brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities even if the patient recovers.
Upon her return to the United States, doctors initially struggled to identify the cause of her headache and low-grade fever. Dr. Brian Montague, an infectious disease expert involved in her treatment, stated that she had been in and out of medical facilities as doctors worked to determine her diagnosis.
The healthcare team later discovered that the patient’s infection was caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium abscessus, typically found in water and soil. In healthcare settings, these bacteria can be transmitted through contaminated water entering medical products, such as the stem cell injections she received.
Montague emphasized the heightened risk associated with stem cell injections since they are directly administered into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord, an area devoid of immune cells. This makes it easier for bacteria to proliferate and cause severe illness if the sample is contaminated.
Addressing the situation, Montague stated, “While identifying the cause brings a measure of relief, we must remember that this is a challenging infection to cure even under the best circumstances.” Unlike skin infections, infections in the brain and spinal fluid cannot be easily removed.
The patient underwent multiple rounds of antibiotic treatment
After her diagnosis, the patient received several rounds of antibiotics and attended numerous doctor’s appointments. She also underwent lumbar punctures to assess the effectiveness of the antibiotics. It took eight weeks from her initial emergency room visit to identify and treat her bacterial meningitis infection.
Though it has been over three months since the patient experienced symptoms, there remains a possibility of symptom recurrence. The prognosis for bacterial meningitis remains uncertain due to its rarity and limited understanding.
Montague explained that “many people with mycobacterium abscessus infections may be on treatment for months or even years. There are cases where we’re not able to cure it.”
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