Infection
San Jose woman has all four limbs amputated after contracting rare bacterial infection
Sep
San Jose woman has all four limbs amputated after contracting rare bacteria infection
A woman in San Jose is recovering after contracting a bacterial infection from eating fish she cooked at home. After becoming severely ill, the 40-year-old mother had to have all of her limbs amputated to save her life.
Laura Barajas is still fighting to survive. A family spokesperson says they’re not ready to talk about it, but people should know about this rare case of bacterial infection.
“When it occurs, it can be devastating,” said Dr. John Swartzberg, UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
Swartzberg teaches at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and is not involved in Barajas’ case. Barajas has been hospitalized for over a month, and on September 13, she had to have all four of her limbs removed to save her life.
On September 1, the CDC issued a health advisory about Vibrio Vulnificus. It says about 200 people a year get a Vibrio infection, experiencing diarrhea, stomach cramping, vomiting, chills and fever. The bacteria mainly live in salt waters on the East Coast and can be contracted through an open flesh wound or swallowing salt water. It can also be contracted by eating raw or undercooked seafood.
Dr. Swartzberg says washing your hands with soap and water is sufficient after handling raw seafood. He also emphasized that these cases are rare, especially on the West Coast, but people should still take precautions.
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