New case of flesh-eating bacteria reported in S.C. mom

Lana Kuykendall discovered she had been infected with necrotizing fascitis soon after she gave birth to twins.

/ WLTX

(CBS News) A separate case of the flesh-eating disease necrotizing fasciitis has been reported in a South Carolina woman, and she remains in critical condition. Lana Kuykendall, 36, is currently hospitalized at Greenville Memorial Hospital after she was infected with the bacterial infection, shortly after giving birth to twins.

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"Right now, (I'm) just very worried, very upset," the victim's friend Krissy Davison told CBS affiliate WLTX in Columbia, S.C. "(I'm) still in disbelief that here is my friend, who just had these two beautiful babies, and now she is incubated upstairs and not able to enjoy the bonding experience and enjoy the babies."

Her case follows the story of 24-year-old Aimee Copeland, who was infected with the flesh-eating disease when she received a cut after riding a home-made zipline in Georgia. She still remains in intensive care, and has already had her leg amputated at the hip, HealthPop reported. Surgeons say Copeland may lose her fingers as well. The two cases are unrelated.

Kuykendall, a Greenville, S.C. resident, started to experience leg cramps a day after she gave birth to her babies, according to Greenville Online. The delivery was normal, besides the new mother needing a blood transfusion. Shortly after, Kuykendall was in so much pain that she couldn't walk, but tests revealed nothing was wrong.

The next morning, Kuykendall discovered what she thought was a blood clot at the back of her leg about the size of a 3-by-5 index card. It started growing, spreading a quarter of an inch in half an hour. That's when alarm bells went off her doctor. Within 90 minutes of returning to the hospital, Kuykendall underwent surgery for the flesh-eating bacteria.

Doctors still do not know how Kuykendall contracted the disease. According to the National Necrotizing Fasciitis Foundation, necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial infection typically caused by the group A Strep bacteria, which is the same bacteria that causes strep throat. The disease enters the afflicted through a tiny opening in the skin, and sometimes can happen following a major trauma or surgery. However other bacteria can cause the disease - in the case of Copeland, Aeromonas hydrophila found in warm , brackish waters invaded the cut to cause the infection, but experts said her case was rare.

According to the Foundation, anywhere from 500 to 1500 people develop necrotizing fasciitis each year, and about 20 percent die, but those statistics may vary.

While the disease can't be prevented, basic hygiene practices can help stop its spread and lower your chances of getting it. Dr. Jerry Gibson, state epidemiologist with the Department of Health and Environmental Control, told WLTX that the disease is very rare and it normally doesn't affect a lot of people in one area.

"It's just chance, it doesn't mean we're going to see another one any sooner. Please don't panic. It's very uncommon here," he said.

For more on the story, watch WLTX's interview with Gibson below.

29 Photos

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[takacrat]

This family needs to look up on Google "cdc silent killer from iraq".
Leishmaniasis is the first known Disease to have this as a Differential, also, from the past written on tablets from "King Ashubanipal, Seventh Century B.C." about a Disease called Balkh Sore, while in the same time, Tribal Inca, area Ecuador and Peru, as Andean Sickness and or "White Leprosy"
No mater what one calls it, it is from Leishmaniasis, that WHO claims that AIDs first came from!
DOD and AIG has a few Truck Loads of Reports and Medical Records on this Disease, under someones Thick Rug in D.C.!!!!

[mkrand01]

The headlines are not lacking thought. One case was headlined as a "Daughter with Skin eating..." and the next one "Mother with Skin eating..." then they go on to say the people are not related. Last I checked most all women are mothers and all are daughters. Hummm. Still I do not argue that Necrotizing fasciitis is some horrible stuff. Over 70% of the cases occur in people who are not healthy to start with which also means, 30% of the people are completely healthy and still manage to catch it. Between 1k and 1.5k people get this a year, about 20% die from it. If you don't catch it within the first 24 hours, life is not good.

[McDuderson]

Between this and the Georgia incident, sounds like the US South is becoming a disease infested jungle!

[startackular]

They say "gave birth" ... was this vaginal or by cesarean? These infections are far more common with deep wounds, surgeries, cesareans ... I have large doubts that twins who are usually born smaller and earlier caused a laceration deep enough to get into the larger blood supply ... also, she had a transfusion ... postpartum hemorrhage ... could the bacteria have been in the blood?

I advocate less cesareans all around, let babies be born naturally - vaginally. We will continue to see more and more of this ... especially as antibiotic resistant bacteria increase with our overuse of them for factory farming operations, and other unnecessary causes ...

WHO studied this and c-sec benefits outweigh risks when rate is between 5-15% we are greater than double the upper limit of that in this country 33%. Above 15% the WHO learned from their research the risks to the mother and baby outweigh the benefits and more deaths will result from the major operation.

Bacteria have been around a lot longer than humans and they evolve and adapt much more quickly as well. Best follow the precautionary principle and hope to stay safer.

[John782011]

Necrotizing fasciitis is a very devistating disease. A young coworker of mine died of it about 20 years ago. She presented with flu like symptoms and was sent home, a couple hours later she was admitted and by the time she died over a month later had lost both legs and her arms to the elbows. She had only been married about 4 months at the time. Very sad and hope Ms. Kuykendall survives to be with here children and other loved ones.

[chagai]

Necrotizing fasciitis,is caused by a bacteria from the Pseudomonas group(Has similar name).This bacteria lives in sweet waters reservoirs.It likes warm water,hence the story that it originates in the southern states of the U.S.A.This bacteria,rerely attacks humans.But when it gains access(Through cuts),it spread very fast causing sepsis-death.What should an individual do when he sustains
a cut?Take one tab.of Niacin 100mg. sublingual with food.Consult your doctor for more information.This pill is also O.T.C.

[erasmus111]

chagai

Necrotizing fasciitis is from the STREPTOCOCCAL A group.

[magicman73]

Zombiepocalypse is upon us.