A 27-year-old Briton nearly died days after giving birth from necrotizing fasciitis, a rare skin infection caused by bacteria known as flesh-eating bacteria.
- Charleigh Chatterton gave birth to a baby girl on April 22, 2023.
- Six days later, she developed a rash and flu-like symptoms: tests revealed she had a rare and deadly infection called Necrotizing Fasciitis.
- She needed emergency surgery to stem the infection caused by flesh-eating bacteria.
On April 22, 2023, Charleigh Chatterton, a 27-year-old Briton, experienced one of the happiest days of her life: she gave birth to her daughter Alessia without any complications. But six days later, the young mother saw her life threatened by flesh-eating bacteria.
Necrotizing fasciitis: “my chances of survival were slim”
When her baby was not yet a week old, Charleigh Chatterton began developing a rash “as hot to the touch as a boiling kettle” and severe flu symptoms. On the advice of midwives, the young mother went to the hospital. The first examinations did not reveal anything worrying, but his state of health continued to deteriorate rapidly.
As the mum struggled to stay conscious, a CT scan revealed pockets of gas under her tissue. The doctors were then able to put a diagnosis on his illness: necrotizing fasciitis. It is a rare, fatal and rapidly progressive soft tissue infection. It can be caused by different bacteria, including group A streptococcus. It generally affects people whose immune system is weakened by disease (cirrhosis, diabetes, obesity, lupus), drug treatments (chemotherapy) or events such as childbirth or an operation.
The first signs are like for Charleigh flu-like symptoms and a rash. They may be followed by vomiting and swelling of the affected areas, before the causative bacteria spread through the body, causing dizziness and confusion. Without prompt treatment, the disease can lead to complications such as blood poisoning (sepsis) and organ failure.
“Doctors said my chances of survival were slim. I think I was diagnosed just in time”the patient told the BBC. “I was so scared that I didn’t think I would ever be able to see my daughter”she added in the pages of the Mirror.
Flesh-eating bacteria: “I still find it quite difficult psychologically”
As soon as the diagnosis was established, the young mother was immediately operated on to remove dead tissue and prevent the spread of flesh-eating bacteria.
She was then kept under sedation for three days. She woke up with two large stomach wounds, which had to be left open for six days to help her body recover from the infection.
The Briton was finally able to leave the hospital after two weeks and return to her newborn baby.
“I still find it quite difficult psychologically, but physically I’m fine. I have big scars and nerve damage, but I feel so lucky. I’m here and that’s all that matters”, Charleigh Chatterton told the BBC. She spoke to raise awareness of the signs of this disease. “I just want to get the message out because most people have never heard of it and early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death”she said.
