A 19-year old paid a high price for eating leftover noodles from a restaurant. Twenty hours after consuming the leftovers, the young man began having chills, abdominal pains, and nausea. He started vomiting, his chills worsened, and he felt weak. Then he had shortness of breath, headaches, stiff neck, and blurry vision. Purple patches appeared on his face, chest, abdomen, arms, and legs. His friend had to bring him to the hospital.
At the hospital, the teen's shortness of breath worsened. His blood pressure dropped, and he eventually needed oxygen and a ventilator. Forbes reported that the doctors had to transport him on a helicopter to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a Massachusetts General Hospital.
What is Neisseria Meningitides?
The doctors found Neisseria Meningitides, a bacteria, on the teen's blood and urine tests. Purpura fulminans develop seven to 10 days after a bacterial infection in the blood. The blood clots blocked the blood circulation in the arms, legs, toes, and fingers, cutting off blood flow to the major organs, liver, lungs, heart, and kidneys.
It was what happened to the young man and the doctors had to amputate different parts of his fingers, and both his legs below the knees.
The teen's roommate also ate the noodles. However, unlike him, his roommate only threw up the noodles but had no other bad reaction.
The teener survived the ordeal, but it came with a price and a lesson that it is always a good idea to be mindful of handling, storing, and eating leftovers.
A rare case of Neisseria meningitides on leftover food
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Neisseria Meningitides cause Meningococcal disease. People who live in dry areas such as sub-Saharan Africa are most susceptible to the disease. A person may acquire the disease through close contact with someone with meningococcal disease.
The bacteria can infect the blood, causing septicemia, marked by tiredness, chills, vomiting, severe aches, fast breathing, diarrhea, dark rash, and body pains, all of which the teener experienced. Doctors warn that meningococcal disease can kill a person in just a few hours.
Keep Leftover Food Safe
Bernard Hsu, a doctor and content creator, said that the leftover food caused the teener to be ill. How the bacteria found their way to the noodle is still in question.
To keep leftover foods from getting contaminated, The Food and Drug Authority recommends:
- Store leftover foods in tight containers.
- Refrigerate perishable foods right away.
- Keep refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C), and the freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C).
- Be alert of spoiled food. Discard anything that looks or smells suspicious. Discard moldy food or items.
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