Woman dies from flesh eating bug (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Woman dies from flesh eating bug

A PRICK from a rose thorn could have killed 61-year-old Jeanne Harris who was later struck down with the horrific flesh eating killer bug necrotising fasciitis.

The bacteria spread rapidly from Mrs Harris' left elbow and despite surgery to cut away flesh from her arm, chest and left breast, she died within days an inquest heard.

Recording a verdict of death by natural causes Cotswold coroner Lester Madrell, said it was impossible to be sure how Mrs Harris, from South Cerney, contracted the infection.

But the prick to a finger on her left hand while pruning roses in the garden of her home in Broadway Lane two days before she fell ill could not be ruled out as the source of the infection.

On Tuesday, June 26 last year the inquest heard Mrs Harris, a part-time cleaner, started to feel unwell and showed her husband of 40 years, Norman, her left arm which was swollen.

Mr Harris said: " I asked her what was up with it."

"She said 'It's been burning.' She was never one to complain and she refused initially to go to the doctor."

He insisted on taking her to the doctor but on the way there she was sick in the cab.

She was admitted to Cirencester Hospital but then transferred to Cheltenham General Hospital.

The diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis was made at Cheltenham Hospital and she underwent surgery to remove the tissue which had been killed by the bug on the left arm. This included a left mastectomy and she was transferred to intensive care but died on June 30 after suffering multi organ failure.

Pathologist Professor Neil Shepherd said he could not find any sign of a thorn prick but could not rule out there had been an injury and that it was the source of the bacteria infection.

The rare disease is caused, he told the inquest, by streptococcus pyogenes, a bacteria present naturally in many peoples throats, but which does not usually cause any problems. But once the bacteria has found a 'portal of entry' into the body it can cause the rapid spread of the disease and often leads to death.

"What is not really understood is how it suddenly becomes a killer of tissue and potentially a killer of people," he said.

He recalled in 1994 a cluster of cases of necrotising fasciitis in Gloucestershire which killed seven people.

He said it was possible Mrs Harris was already carrying the bacteria and that some minor trauma occurred to cause her disease or that she received it from the thorn prick.

However, Mrs Harris' younger son David told the inquest he could not believe the insignificant prick she received could have had anything to do with her illness.

He told the coroner she had been having some symptoms of aching limbs before the thorn prick.

Recording his verdict, the coroner said the thorn prick could just have been coincidental and he could not be sure if it was the cause.

He added: "This is one of the most unusual cases I have ever had to deal with."

Mr Harris told the Standard this week: "Jeanne and I were so close. I miss her dreadfully. "She loved her gardening and I just cannot believe how a tiny thorn prick might have caused her death.

"I would just like to thank all my friends and family for their support this last year."