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A family has been left devastated after a young woman was suddenly stricken with a mysterious illness and died.
Ashley Timbery, 29, from Nowra on the NSW South Coast lost feeling in her legs on February 15 and collapsed before being rushed to intensive care at Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital.
Doctors placed her in an induced coma as they carried out tests which found a series of cavities in her lungs, leading them to determine she had a ‘superbug’ infection which was attacking her organs.
After 10 days at Shoalhaven Hospital, Ms Timbery was transferred to St George Hospital in Sydney, where doctors found she had specifically contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, which makes infection with them extremely difficult to treat.
According to the Mayo Clinic, most people get the infection in hospitals or other healthcare settings, such as aged care, but it is also present in the wider community.
Ashley Timber, 29, collapsed on February 15 and later sadly died after an MRSA infection led to pneumonia
Other groups at increased risk are athletes, those in restricted locations such as army barracks or prisons, drug users, the immunocompromised and those who have recently had surgery – although it is not limited to these groups.
Mrs Timbery’s infection resulted in pneumonia which was the cause of her death.
Her cousin Shantelle Locke said there were no clear symptoms that Ms Timbery was seriously ill before she collapsed.
“The doctor seemed to think she might have had the pneumonia for maybe a couple of weeks before she went to the hospital, but she never got it treated and obviously didn’t know it was pneumonia,” Locke said. Yahoo News.
Shantelle Lock (left) with her cousin Ashely Timbery (right), who she said had no obvious symptoms of being seriously unwell
Mrs Timbery only felt slightly lethargic and had one or two boils, a symptom of the infection that can resemble large pimples.
Her right lung had collapsed at Shoalhaven Hospital from the pneumonia, which doctors drained and helped inflate, but her left lung did the same when she got to St. George.
‘The doctors showed us a CT scan which showed a normal lung. Then they showed us that hers (and) hers were just covered in holes,” Ms Locke said.
‘This was a result of her lungs being blocked by the pneumonia and the bug starting to lodge in the cavities of her lungs.’
Ms Timbery died on February 29.
Locke said Ms. Timbery’s mother in particular is having a hard time.
‘Unfortunately, because Ashley was so young, we didn’t have a funeral plan in place.’
The family demands donations to help with Mrs Timbery’s funeral costs.
WHAT ARE STAPHYLOCOCCI INFECTIONS?
Staphylococcus, or ‘staph’, infections are caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus.
These can cause relatively minor skin infections, such as boils, as well as serious ones that affect the blood, lungs and heart.
Most infections are caused by a group of bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus, which includes MRSA. MRSA is resistant to certain antibiotics.
Infections affecting the skin and soft tissue include:
- Boils – red, painful lumps that usually develop on the neck, face, armpits or buttocks
- Impetigo – causes sores, blisters and crusts; usually in children
- Skin boils – a collection of pus that appears as a painful lump under the surface of the skin
Invasive infections include:
- Endocarditis – infection of the inner lining of the heart, leading to fever, chest pain and cough
- Pneumonia – lung infection causing cough, difficulty breathing and chest pain
- Sepsis – a violent immune response leads to fever, and rapid breathing and pulse
About one in three people carry Staph bacteria harmlessly on their skin.
Staph infections can cause red, painful boils that typically develop on the face
It only causes problems when it enters the body via cuts, grasses or medical equipment.
Although healthy people can be affected, people with weakened immune systems, e.g. due to a side effect of chemotherapy, suffers.
abscesses and other more minor forms of infection typically do not require treatment.
Antibiotics may be given or a minor procedure to drain the pus from the skin.
Invasive infections require hospital treatment, which usually involves antibiotic injections over several days.
People can help prevent staph infections by:
- Wash their hands with soap and warm water often
- Keeps the skin clean
- Do not share towels, razors, bedding or toothbrushes
- Keep wounds clean and covered
Source: NHS Choices