Teenage Girl Loses 15 lbs in 10 Days, Dies from ‘This’ Infection

Cause of death for a 15-year-old girl in central Vietnam
Death from ‘Burkholderia pseudomallei’ infection in just a month

September 20th, 2023 – A 15-year-old girl from central Vietnam died a month after contracting a rare bacterial infection called melioidosis.

The teenager from Thanh Hoa province started exhibiting symptoms such as a sore throat, cough, and high fever towards the end of August. Astonishingly, she lost about 15.4 lbs (7kg) in just 10 days.

Her health didn’t improve even after medical intervention at a local clinic. Experiencing alarming respiratory challenges and a drop in blood pressure, she was urgently transferred to the Thanh Hoa Children’s Hospital.

Upon running comprehensive tests, it was discovered she had contracted what’s colloquially termed the ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ or Burkholderia pseudomallei. The girl’s pre-existing conditions included diabetes and obesity.

Despite receiving intensive care, which included ventilation and dialysis, she succumbed to the infection on September 17th.

Initial investigations into the cause of the infection were inconclusive. The family, who sourced their water from a well, had not traveled outside their village for the past month. Moreover, the girl showed no signs of any skin abrasions, a common entry point for such bacteria.

Melioidosis, often referred to as Whitmore’s disease, primarily affects regions in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The infection can manifest when an individual is exposed to contaminated soil or water or inhales the bacteria from the air. Direct transmission from person to person is exceedingly rare.

Once infected, the symptoms can vary, including fevers, intense headaches, and chest discomfort. It is critical to identify and treat this disease promptly. If not, the mortality rate can spike, especially for those with underlying health conditions.

Vietnam first reported a case of melioidosis back in 1925.

Interestingly, in South Korea, an actor identified only as ‘A’ was diagnosed with the same disease in 2013. After a trip to Cambodia for a filming assignment, he began experiencing symptoms. His condition rapidly deteriorated, culminating in a tragic death caused by sepsis. Post-mortem studies confirmed he had melioidosis.

For the U.S. audience: Melioidosis remains rare, but travelers to Southeast Asia are advised to exercise caution.