The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning Americans about the risks of “medical tourism” after nearly two dozen US residents contracted serious infections related to cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic.
The 21 people affected were all women who underwent surgeries including liposuction, tummy tucks, butt implants, and breast reduction at one of five clinics in the Dominican Republic in 2013. In the process, they were infected with rapidly growing mycobacteria, organisms that thrive in dirty water and may enter the body during a procedure in an unsterile environment.
The bacteria caused an oozing skin condition that in some cases did not completely heal even nine months after their surgeries, according to a CDC study released Wednesday.
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