Tainted ink blamed for tattoo patrons’ skin infections

Three people who got tattoos at a parlor in Lynnwood last year developed severe skin infections that health officials are tracing to a bacteria in the ink.

An Everett woman and Bothell woman are recovering from their infections. A third person from King County also developed an infection from a tattoo at the same parlor.

Health officials say the Lynnwood tattoo parlor, which they are not naming, followed all regulations and remains open. Two other people who got tattoos at a parlor in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood also became infected. In addition, 24 other people have experienced infections that are believed to have been caused by tattoos at the same locations but have yet to be confirmed, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In all cases, investigators concluded the culprit was the ink, said Michael Kinzer, an epidemic intelligence officer for the CDC working with King County’s health department. There are no health regulations that address the production of tattoo ink, he said.

The incidents occurred between September and December of last year. Most of those infected first sought treatment from the tattoo artists, he said, and did not report their situations to authorities until February.

“It’s a slow proceeding infection,” Kinzer said.

The illnesses here were caused by a bacterial cousin of tuberculosis named Mycobacterium chelonae, officials said. The bacteria can cause itchy and painful pustules that can take months to clear up, and involve treatment with harsh antibiotics with unpleasant side effects. Severe infections can cause scarring, Kinzer said.

The Everett woman, in her 40s, and the Bothell woman, in her 30s, are recovering after antibiotic treatment, Kinzer said. A few of the others also required antibiotic treatment, while the infections incurred by some were less severe, he said. Some of the patients have experienced scarring.

All the infections have been traced to diluted ink used for shaded areas of tattoos, Kinzer said. The bacteria was likely in the water used to dilute the ink before packaging. That brand of ink has since been pulled from the market.

While sterilization of needles and other procedures at tattoo establishments are regulated by the state Department of Licensing, the purity of tattoo ink is not addressed in state or federal law, Kinzer said.

“There’s no such thing as an FDA-approved ink for use in tattoos,” he said.

This could be changing. Kinzer said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering increasing its regulation of the tattoo industry, though it’s unclear in what form.

Other outbreaks have occurred in different parts of the country, according to the CDC. In the largest of these, 19 people in Rochester, N.Y., ended up with bubbly rashes on their new tattoos, researchers reported. In the past year, there have been 22 confirmed cases and more than 30 suspected cases of the skin infection in Colorado, Iowa, New York in addition to Washington, health officials said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Safety tips

Anyone considering getting a tattoo should take the following precautions, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

n Use parlors approved or registered by local jurisdictions.

n Request inks that are manufactured specifically for tattoos.

n Ensure that tattoo artists follow appropriate hygienic practices.

n Be aware of the potential for infection after tattooing and promptly seek medical care if skin problems occur.

For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/cyhmn9l.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Southbound lanes on Highway 99 reopen after crash

The crash, on Highway 99 at 176th Street SW, blocked traffic for over an hour. Traffic was diverted to 168th Street SW.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.