This heartbreaking story hits very close to home…and will have you second guessing the type of food you consume. The life of 40-year-old Laura Barajas has been completely turned upside down as she lost all four of her limbs to a deadly bacterial infection after eating contaminated fish. Now, Barajas’ unimaginable hardship is serving as a dire warning for millions.
After eating tilapia from a local market in late July, Barajas began to experience severe illness symptoms. She was hospitalized as her extremities turned black and eventually had to have all four of her limbs amputated due to the bacterial infection she contracted through eating the raw or uncooked fish – an infection known as Vibrio vulnificus.
The CDC recently issued a warning about a bacterial infection that people can get by eating raw or undercooked fish. https://t.co/tHCOBlKpQu
— KRON4 News (@kron4news) September 16, 2023
According to Disease Expert Dr. Natasha Spottiswoode, this particular microorganism is especially concerning for immunocompromised individuals like Barajas who are more likely to suffer severe complications when infected with it.
Anna Messina, a friend of Barajas’, stated that her kidneys were failing and she almost lost her life due to sepsis before being placed into a medically induced coma.
Thankfully, friends and family members were there for support throughout this difficult time for Baraja’s family. A GoFundMe page set up by Messina raised over $20,000 in donations towards medical expenses and other costs associated with the tragic incident, showing how much love and care those close to Laura have for her during this trying period.
As Messina succinctly put it: “It’s just been really heavy on all of us… This could’ve happened to any of us.”
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a warning about potential contamination from raw or uncooked fish shortly following this incident, reminding us all never to underestimate the power of bacteria or its ability affect our lives in drastic ways if we don’t take proper precautions when consuming food products containing it.
Our hearts go out to Barajas and her family during this difficult time as she copes with the aftermath of such an unexpected event.