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Review
. 2023 Aug;29(8):1655-1658.
doi: 10.3201/eid2908.230317.

Mycobacterium abscessus Meningitis Associated with Stem Cell Treatment During Medical Tourism

Andrew B Wolf, Kelli M Money, Arun Chandnani, Charles L Daley, David E Griffith, Lakshmi Chauhan, Nathan Coffman, Amanda L Piquet, Kenneth L Tyler, Shanta M Zimmer, Brian T Montague, Sarah Mann, Daniel M Pastula
Review

Mycobacterium abscessus Meningitis Associated with Stem Cell Treatment During Medical Tourism

Andrew B Wolf et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Mycobacterium abscessus infections have been reported as adverse events related to medical tourism. We report M. abscessus meningitis in a patient who traveled from Colorado, USA, to Mexico to receive intrathecal stem cell injections as treatment for multiple sclerosis. We also review the management of this challenging central nervous system infection.

Keywords: Mexico; Mycobacterium abscessus; bacteria; medical tourism; meningitis/encephalitis; multiple sclerosis; nontuberculous mycobacterium infections; stem cells.

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