A Hispanic man died after developing sepsis when his fresh tattoo wound became infected from swimming in the sea.
The unidentified 31-year-old ignored advice given to those with new inkings that they should wait for two weeks before venturing into pools or oceans.
Instead, he decided to venture into the warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico just five days after obtaining a religious cross on his right calf.
The day after he went swimming, he developed a fever, chills and a red rash close to his tattoo, experts wrote in the BMJ Case Reports.
His condition continued to worsen over the next two days, before he was eventually admitted to hospital, they said.
Credit: BMJ case Reports