BROWNSVILLE, Texas —Federal officers say greater than 200 sufferers might be prone to fungal meningitis after having surgical procedures at clinics in a Mexico border metropolis.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated Wednesday it's collaborating with the Mexican Ministry of Health and U.S. state and native well being departments to reply to the outbreak amongst sufferers who traveled to Matamoros, throughout the border from Brownsville, Texas.

Officials have recognized and closed two clinics linked to the outbreak, River Side Surgical Center and Clinica Okay-3.

The Mexican Ministry of Health despatched the CDC a listing of 221 U.S. sufferers who could be in danger for meningitis based mostly on their recorded surgical procedures at both clinic from January to May 13. Three further sufferers not on the record have additionally been recognized, bringing the entire of individuals within the United States recognized to have potential publicity to 224, the CDC stated.

The CDC is working with greater than two dozen state and native well being departments to contact folks with potential publicity and urge them to go to their nearest medical facility for testing. Meningitis testing consists of an MRI and a lumbar puncture, additionally known as a spinal faucet.

Last week, the CDC issued a warning to U.S. residents to cancel surgical procedures in Matamoros, saying 5 folks from Texas who had procedures there developed suspected circumstances of fungal meningitis. One of them died. A second particular person with a suspected case has additionally died, the CDC stated Wednesday.

Meningitis is the swelling of the protecting overlaying of the mind and spinal twine and ought to be handled urgently. Symptoms embody fever, headache, a stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, confusion and sensitivity to mild. Cases of meningitis might be brought on by viruses, micro organism, trauma or fungi.

Patients within the Texas circumstances began exhibiting signs three days to 6 weeks after surgical procedure in Matamoros.

People leaving the U.S. for pharmaceuticals, dental procedures, surgical procedures and different medical remedy - also called medical tourism - is frequent, consultants say. Mexico, Canada, India and Thailand are all fashionable locations.

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