Hours after eating leftovers from a restaurant, a 19-year-old was admitted to the hospital with multiple organ failure and later had both his legs and all his fingers amputated.
The Massachusetts college student had eaten rice, chicken and lo mein from a restaurant. Soon after, he felt abdominal pain and his skin turned a shade of purple, according to a report by The New England Journal of Medicine.
The teenager was admitted to a hospital for "shock, multiple organ failure, and rash,” and his condition quickly declined. He experienced abnormal breathing, high blood pressure and vomiting. The student had been healthy overall with regular drinking and smoking habits, the report said.
After further tests, he was diagnosed with meningococcal purpura fulminan disease, which caused his stiff neck, nausea, respiratory collapse, shock and organ failure, according to the report. Purpura fulminan is a rare complication that comes with septic shock, which the college student experience, according to the report.
How to store rice: Eating leftover rice can make you very sick. Here's how to properly store it
The condition is caused by bacteria and brings symptoms such as sudden fever and vomiting. The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention warns it can “lead to death in as little as a few hours.”
Over the course of his hospital stay, his condition worsened and he developed necrosis, the death of tissue and cells. At that point, doctors had to amputate his legs and fingers, according to the report. He also needed a pacemaker for 13 days to treat his cardiac dysfunction.
Experts have warned against the dangers of improperly storing leftover rice because items such as rice and pasta contain a bacterium called Bacillus cereus. The bacteria produces a toxin when heated and left out too long, according to the CDC. In 2008, a teenager died in his sleep after eating leftover pasta that wasn't refrigerated overnight, a case that was reported in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
The medical team learned that although the Massachusetts student had received a first dose of the meningococcal vaccine, he never received the recommended booster. His roommate also ate the leftover food and vomited but didn't have life-threatening reactions.
Latest Stories
-
Lady sues Police and AG over assault in custody
27 mins -
Ghana’s railway sector has been revived under my leadership – Akufo-Addo
47 mins -
Next government must enforce C190 – Women Economic Dialogue Forum
52 mins -
NCCE engages party youth activists at Nandom on peaceful election
53 mins -
SSNIT engages stakeholders on its operations
56 mins -
Defilement: 19-year-old farmer jailed ten years, with hard labour
57 mins -
Bawumia to inaugurate new headquarters of Lands Commission on November 25
59 mins -
Sylvester Tetteh denies demolishing GBC staff bungalow
1 hour -
Signing of peace pact by presidential candidates slated for November 28
1 hour -
Akufo-Addo reiterates commitment to free and fair elections
1 hour -
Climate change impact poses threat to Ghana’s financial stability – BoG Governor
1 hour -
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful assures of leading NPP to victory in Ablekuma West
1 hour -
Akufo-Addo urges armed forces to maintain neutrality, professionalism
1 hour -
Driver jailed 15 years for robbery
2 hours -
Election 2024: Bawumia is a timely asset for NPP and Ghana – Freddie Blay
2 hours