Flesh-eating bacteria kills Tomé man

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Remijio "Raimy" Chavez of Tomé died after becoming infected with a flesh-eating bacteria on a camping trip Last Update: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 01:32:48 GMT

A flesh-eating bacteria has taken the life of a Valencia County man, and doctors say the cause is not uncommon in New Mexico.

Remijio "Raimy" Chavez of Tomé was deer hunting the in Lincoln National Forest near Hondo on October 25th. When he returned home, he noticed what he thought was a bug bite on his leg.

The "bug bite" was actually the first sign of a bacterial infection caused by streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome. It's the same syndrome that causes strep throat, but when it enters the blood stream via an open wound, it can eat away at muscle tissue.

Within a matter of hours, Chavez's infection grew from the size of a quarter to the size of a grapefruit. His family rushed him to a hospital, but by then there was little doctors could do.

"The doctors took him to surgery and they couldn't even keep up with the growth," said Chavez's daughter, Elain Cogan. "So they had to stop the surgery because they couldn't get it all."

Chavez's heart stopped at 1 a.m. October 29th, just five days after being infected.

Doctors say the bacteria can be common in New Mexico because of the state's high altitude climate. About 30 to 40 cases are reported in the state each year, that's higher than anywhere else in the United States.

Chavez's family said they want to get the word out to the public about the flesh-eating bacteria. Doctors suggest anyone with a cut or scrape that becomes extremely painful and grows quickly to seek medical help as soon as possible.

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2002


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