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A seven-year-old Arizona girl is fighting for her life after suffering multiple amputations following a diagnosis of a rare bacterial disease.
According to Fox 10, second-grader Victoria Pasten-Morales has undergone eight surgeries since being diagnosed with group A strep.
The bacterial illness weakened her immune system, making her vulnerable to additional infections. In February, her illness began with fever and vomiting, and eventually her hands and lips turned blue. Her parents rushed her to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, but the dangerous disease quickly got out of control and forced doctors to amputate her hand and both feet.
“It all happened very quickly. It happened very quickly. We don’t know where it came from, but it all happened in less than 12 hours,” said his heartbroken mother Obdulia Morales. Additionally, she described her daughter as a “warrior,” who survives thanks to a ventilator.
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While the bacteria has damaged his lungs and kidneys, doctors have yet to discover how he contracted the rare disease.
“Illnesses come unexpectedly. From morning to night everything can change in just a second,” said the girl’s father, Pasten Victor.
When her teachers and school staff members arrived at the hospital to wish Victoria a speedy recovery, she was seen blowing kisses and nodding her head.
To cover the increasing hospital expenses, his parents started a GoFundMe that has raised $23,000 for the family.
As Victoria battles sepsis, the GoFundMe page describes her as “a bright, kind-hearted girl who loves her family dearly. “She has wonderful, loving parents and three brothers who mean a lot to her.”
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What is group A strep?
Group A strep bacteria can trigger a variety of infections, ranging from simple illnesses to serious and fatal illnesses.
It can be transmitted from one person to another through respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing, or by touching other surfaces or by contaminating the skin with bacteria.
According to experts, patients with symptoms should seek urgent medical attention. Doctors often suggest antibiotics for treatment.
According to the CDC, children with infections should not attend school or daycare until they feel better after receiving a day of antibiotic treatment.