CDC reports bacterial infections in five US patients after surgeries in Mexico

What was announced

Health officials from the United States and Mexico investigated a cluster of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections linked to cosmetic surgeries abroad. The CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report confirmed five U.S. residents contracted these bacterial infections after facelift procedures in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, between April and September 2025. All five patients received treatment from the same doctor at the same hospital.

Initial reporting began when a California resident notified local health authorities in December 2025 about an infection following a September facelift. The patient connected with other affected individuals over social media. By February 2026, the CDC and Mexico's Ministry of Health launched a joint inquiry. Genetic testing confirmed that three patients carried nearly identical strains of Mycobacterium abscessus, indicating a shared infection source. Investigators inspected the hospital in February 2026, discovered lapses in instrument sterilization, shut down the operating suite, and confiscated the surgeon's tools.

What it means

Nontuberculous mycobacteria infections cause severe medical complications, including skin damage and organ issues. Diagnosing these infections often requires specialized laboratory testing that standard routine bacterial cultures fail to catch. The report notes that patients in this cluster experienced symptoms within 4 to 112 days after their procedures and needed treatments such as antimicrobials, fluid drainage, and corrective surgeries for scarring.

Surveillance of medical tourism infections remains challenging. Because extrapulmonary NTM infections are not nationally reportable in the United States, tracking outbreaks linked to overseas care is difficult. CDC created the Medical Tourism Surveillance System to better monitor such adverse events. The findings also highlight that standards for health professional certification and facility accreditation vary outside the United States.

What the announcement does not tell us

The report does not state the name of the surgeon or the specific hospital in Jalisco, referring to them only as surgeon X and facility X. It does not clarify how many total U.S. residents underwent procedures at the facility during the affected timeframe, as officials are still awaiting a complete patient list.

The document does not identify the exact environmental source of the bacteria, such as whether contaminated water played a role in the two cases that did not match the main genetic cluster. Finally, the report does not provide the current medical status for every patient who remains under treatment.