A mother from California has lost all of her four limbs after she ate a fish that she had bought at a local market.
40-year-old Laura Barajas contracted a bacterial infection after eating undercooked Tilapia for dinner. After staying in hospital battling the serious infection, she underwent amputation surgery.
It was in July when the mother fell ill after eating the fish.
Speaking to News 19, her friend Messina said: “It’s just been really heavy on all of us. It’s terrible. This could’ve happened to any of us.
“She almost lost her life. She was on a respirator.”
Messina told the news outlet that Barajas was put 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.”
It is believed the infection is caused by vibrio vulnificus.
Messina has created a GoFundMe page to help her friend pay for medical expenses and ongoing treatments.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously issued a warning about vibrio vulnificus.
UCSF Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Natasha Spottiswoode explained: “The ways you can get infected with this bacteria are one-you can eat something that’s contaminated with it the other way is by having a cut or tattoo exposed to water in which this bug lives.”
Each year, about 150 to 200 cases of bacterial infections are reported and 1 in five people die with the infection.
Spottiswoode warned that the bacteria is more concerning for those who are immunocompromised.
“People should take sensible precautions like if you have a cut avoid getting immersed in water until it’s well healed,” Spottiswoode said.
“If you are someone immunocompromised keeping an eye on these things and avoiding those high-risk activities and foods.”
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