Tick Bite Leads to Amputation of Woman’s Arms, Legs

She was tested for both West Nile Virus and meningitis, but the test results came back negative.

Soon after, Rogers, 40, went into septic shock and was put into an induced coma; the mysterious infection was spreading to her limbs and her organs were shutting down by day six, Morgan recalled. Four days after the vacation, Jo Rogers thought she had the flu.

The intensity of Rogers’ case may be rare, but infections unfortunately are not.

CNN reports the operation was necessary to save Jo Rogers’ life from what is believed to be the worst case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever ever reported. “Nobody deserves this.” A GoFundMe page has been set up by Morgan to give some financial assistance to her cousin. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, but that treatment has to start within the first five days of infection. On the fifth day, however, she was brought to the hospital because her hands and feet were hurting.

As the bacteria spread throughout her limbs, it started to threaten Jo’s vital organs, so doctors had to take drastic measures to save her life keep the RMF at bay: amputations of her legs and arms.

Though she still has her life, Rogers is in for a rough time. “Rogers’ cousin, Lisa Morgan, told KOCO, “…her arms and feet were turning dark blue and black.

Rogers’ progression of symptoms are typical, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Summer is high season for infections, and people become progressively vulnerable to the illness as they age, according to the CDC. If you are in a position to help this tick bite victim, please do so. But according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, only 1 to 3 percent of the tick population is infected with the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii (R. rickettsii), which causes RMSF.