Illegal tattoos complicated by Staphylococcus infections: a north Carolina wound care and medical center experience

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a major source of morbidity in Hamlet, NC; in 2011, there were 58 emergency room visits resulting from MRSA infections, leading to 31 admissions to Sandhills Regional Medical Center (Hamlet, NC). The situation is complicated by illegal tattoo artists offering less-expensive artwork, as their bargain prices often involve stinting on sterile technique. Three patients with infected tattoos were seen at Sandhills Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine (Hamlet, NC) with a range of tissue damage requiring different treatment plans. Closer scrutiny of tattoo ink and use of preservatives could prevent accidental or deliberate contamination, and reduce the risk of tattoo infection. .