American Laura Barajas, 40, suffered a serious infection after eating undercooked tilapia at home in early August this year. The condition caused by the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus was so serious that doctors had to put her in an induced coma – Laura had to have all four limbs amputated at once last Wednesday (13/9) to prevent the spread of the infection.
V. vulnificus is a bacteria found in marine species, but can infect river fish in rare cases. The pathogen is normally eliminated in any cooking process or even during freezing, but when it is ingested by humans, it can lead to serious complications.
“It can cause fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, it can lead to generalized infection and, in 60% of cases, to injuries to the extremities of the body”, says the Foodborne Diseases Manual, from the São Paulo Health Department.
Photo shows Laura Barajas before suffering the infection
How did Laura have her limbs amputated?
In Laura’s case, the bacteria established itself in the body and did not respond to standard treatment. “Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma. Her fingers were black, as were her feet and lower lip. She had complete sepsis and her kidneys were failing”, described Anna Messina, a family friend, in an interview with the KRON website.
The medical team decided that the best way to save her was to amputate her arms and legs to prevent the dead tissue accumulated in these areas from worsening the infection.
The treatment has already consumed all of the family’s savings. According to the GoFound Me campaign, which has sought to raise money to help the American, Laura purchased the contaminated fish at a local market in San Jose, California.
