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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a stark warning to people who are traveling, both outside the country and inside, to get medical procedures done.
People who travel, particularly to get cosmetic procedures, are at risk of suffering adverse effects, according to a study published on Tuesday in the CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal.
What they're saying:
"More and more people are getting medical procedures outside the United States, but there are risks," said Kiara McNamara, DNP, BSN, AGPCNP-BC, who is a CDC nurse epidemiologist and the lead author of the study. "It is essential for patients to be informed and prepared before making decisions about seeking cosmetic surgery abroad."
Dig deeper:
The study analyzed reports from 2014–2024 involving U.S. residents who experienced infections or other complications after traveling, both within and outside the U.S.
Researchers looked specifically at patients who got cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, and gluteal augmentation.
By the numbers:
Researchers identified 21 reports of 145 patients who suffered adverse outcomes.
Postsurgical infections were reported in 20 consultations, including 12 cases involving suspected or confirmed nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections.
Most consultations (14) were linked to surgery centers or clinics, and four consultations involved patient deaths, according to the CDC.
"Infection prevention and control assessments conducted during one domestic and one international investigation identified significant deficiencies in environmental cleaning, personal protective equipment use, hand hygiene practices, and surgical equipment reprocessing," according to a news release based on the CDC study.
What are NTM infections?
Big picture view:
Nontuberculous mycobacteria infections, or NTM infections, are caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria bacteria.
NTM bacteria is often found in soil, water and dust, the CDC said.
There are 190 recognized species of NTM infections that can lead to different diseases, more so in people who have underlying lung disease or weakened immune systems.
Symptoms of an NTM infection include:
- Blood in the sputum
- Cough
- Decreased appetite
- Fever
- Loss of energy
- Night sweats
- Rashes
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss
An NTM infection can lead to:
- Lung infections
- Skin and soft tissue infections (typically from surgery, trauma, injection, etc.)
- Infections in areas in/on the body with medical devices
- Lymph node infections (common in children)
- Infections in blood or other usually sterile locations in the body (more common in patients with weakened immune systems or invasive medical devices or after procedures)
NTM infections are typically treated with antibiotics, but many species of this bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics, the CDC said.
What's next:
The CDC urged both healthcare providers and public health agencies to develop better surveillance systems to ensure proper sanitation of facilities is implemented to prevent adverse health impacts on patients.
"These measures are critical to identifying adverse outcomes early and implementing effective prevention strategies," the CDC said.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a news release on the CDC’s website that was published on June 2, 2026. This story was reported from San Jose.