Laura Barajas almost ‘lost her life’ after contracting the aggressive bacteria, ‘Vibrio vulnificus‘ from contaminated tilapia.
A California mom, Laura Barajas, 40, had to undergo life-saving surgery on Thursday following a months-long hospital stay. She is now a quadruple amputee due to a flesh-eating bacteria she contracted, possibly from consuming undercooked tilapia purchased from a local market in July.
Laura fell ill almost immediately after eating the contaminated fish, and she was diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus, commonly known as the “flesh-eating bacteria,” according to a GoFundMe campaign organized by her friend Anna Messina.
“She almost lost her life. She was on a respirator,” Messina told KRON-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, stayed in the hospital for a month before it became necessary to amputate all four of her limbs in a life-saving procedure, as stated in the GoFundMe.
What is Vibrio vulnificus
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vibrio vulnificus is a type of bacteria that naturally lives in warm seawater. The CDC describes it as follows:
“Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium in the same family as those that cause cholera. It normally lives in warm seawater and is part of a group of vibrios that are called ‘halophilic’ because they require salt. V. vulnificus can cause disease in those who eat contaminated seafood or have an open wound that is exposed to seawater.”
The treatment for Vibrio vulnificus infection can vary depending on the severity of the infection and the individual’s overall health. In severe cases where the infection has caused extensive tissue damage, surgical intervention may be necessary to remove damaged tissue and prevent the infection from spreading further.
In Barajas’ case, this translated to the necessity of having all her limbs amputated.
“It’s just been really heavy on all of us. It’s terrible. This could’ve happened to any of us,” Messina expressed. “Be thankful for what we have right now because it can be taken away so quickly so easily.”