Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY
11-year-old Florida boy dies from flesh-eating infection after spraining ankle on treadmill
By Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY,
2023-02-17
An 11-year-old Florida boy is dead after he developing a flesh-eating infection following a treadmill injury.
Jesse Brown of Winter Park, just north of Orlando, died less than two weeks after he developed a deadly Group A Strep (iGAS) infection, his family told USA TODAY Friday.
His death comes on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting an uptick in iGAS infections among children in the United States in 2022, as infection numbers returned to roughly pre-pandemic levels.
The boy's cousin, Megan Brown, said Jesse sprained his ankle on a treadmill at a gym on Jan. 16.
She said he woke up with "a crazy rash" on Jan. 22.
"His leg was covered in splotchy, purple and red, almost like bruises," she said. "It came on so fast... in just a matter of days it shut down all his organs."
The boy was admitted to a hospital where doctors learned he developed the infection caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria, Brown said. The infection became the flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis and caused the boy's brain to swell.
He died on Jan. 27, Brown said after doctors had to intubate him.
Group A strep bacteria can cause a variety of illnesses, the CDC notes.
According to the CDC, iGAS infections include necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (SSTS). STSS is a rare, but serious bacterial infection that can develop very quickly into low blood pressure, multiple organ failure, and even death.
When germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from them, the CDC said, the disease is usually severe, requiring care in a hospital and even causing death in some cases.
Each year about 14,000 to 25,000 cases of iGAS are confirmed, according to the CDC, and some 1,500 to 2,300 people die from it.
The health organization said that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. saw low numbers of the infections in children saying it was likely due to steps many people took during the pandemic to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases including masking and physical distancing.
"Based on preliminary 2022 data, iGAS infections in children have returned to levels similar to those seen in pre-pandemic years," the CDC reported.
The CDC writes that data also indicated iGAS infection levels in children:
Increased earlier in the season (September through November) than in a typical year (December through April)
Occurred over a similar time period as increases in respiratory viruses
Varied greatly between different areas in the country, as has been seen in past years
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0