A 40-year-old California mother had to have her arms and legs amputated after eating fish contaminated with potentially fatal bacteria. Meanwhile, the woman has been in an artificial coma for more than a month and is still fighting for her life.
Laura Barajas, 40, reportedly became ill after eating fish she bought at a local market in San Jose and then prepared for herself at home, according to one of her friends. The fish is said to have been infected with a deadly bacteria.
“It’s very difficult for all of us. It’s terrible. This could have happened to any of us,” said friend Anna Messina.
Tilapia
The fish the woman prepared for herself was tilapia. This freshwater fish is a very popular farmed fish species with a neutral taste.
Laura ate tropical freshwater fish at the end of July, and immediately became seriously ill the next day, so they put her into a medically induced coma after a few hours in the hospital. “Her fingers were black, her feet were black, and her lower lip was black. “She reacted so strongly to the bacteria that her kidneys failed,” says her friend Anna. Last Wednesday, her arms and legs were amputated to save her life.
The deadly bacteria that infected Laura was Vibrio Vulnificus. Bacteria found in raw seafood and seawater.
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issued an alarming letter about recent reports of infections. About 150 to 200 cases are reported annually and about one in five people die, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“The ways you can become infected with this bacteria are by eating something contaminated with it and through a cut or tattoo that is exposed to the water in which these bacteria live,” Natasha Spottisud, an infectious disease expert, told local media. “It is a particularly worrisome infection for people with weakened immune systems.”
Fundraising
Laura’s family is still waiting for more information about exactly what happened and what to do next.
Messina’s girlfriend started one GoFundMe campaign To help Barajas cover medical costs and adjust to her new life. More than $39,000 (36,000 euros) has already been raised.
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