A San Jose mother lost her arms and legs after contracting a bacterial infection that may have come from undercooked fish.
Her body could not fight off the aggressive infection.
“She almost lost her life. She was on a respirator,” Messina toldKRON-4.“They put her into a medically induced coma. Her fingers were black, her feet were black, her bottom lip was black. She had complete sepsis and her kidneys were failing.”
Barajas, who has a 6-year-old son, spent a month in the hospital before “all four of [her] limbs had to be removed in order to save her life,” according to the GoFundMe.
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Laura Barajas of San Jose, Calif., lost her limbs after eating contaminated fish.Anna Messina/GoFundMe
Anna Messina/GoFundMe
Vibrio vulnificus is commonly called a “flesh-eating bacteria” as it can causenecrotizing fasciitis, accordingto the CDC, which is “a severe infection in which the flesh around an open wound dies.”
The primary treatment of necrotizing fasciitis “is early and aggressive surgical exploration and debridement of necrotic tissue,” according to the CDC.
Medical authorities believe tilapia contaminated with flesh-eating bacteria cause the infection in Laura Barajas.Getty
Getty
In Barajas’ case, this meant amputation of all her limbs.
The CDCissued an emergency alertat the end of August urging healthcare providers to consider Vibrio as a potential cause of infections, as warming sea waters are encouraging growth of the bacteria.
“One in five people with this infection die — sometimes within 1–2 days of becoming ill,” the CDC says.
At least three people — two in Connecticut and one in New York —died after being exposedto Vibrio vulnificus this summer, and a man in Texas died after contracting the bacteria fromeating raw oysters.
“It’s just been really heavy on all of us. It’s terrible. This could’ve happened to any of us,” said Messina. “Be thankful for what we have right now because it can be taken away so quickly so easily.”
source: people.com
