Flea bites become a nightmare for Americans – both hands are amputated

For Michael Kohlhof (35), what was first thought to be a severe fever turned out to be a bitter nightmare. The American was admitted to an emergency room in San Antonio TX last month.

At first his symptoms were thought to be a high fever. That’s what her mother, Jayleen Hardaway, writes on the donation platform “GoFundMe.” A short time later, the 35-year-old developed septic shock and was rushed to the intensive care unit.

By the minute his condition was deteriorating. Within 24 hours, Kohlhof was placed on a ventilator. He also underwent dialysis. He was also given antibiotics, vasopressors (medicines to support blood pressure) and painkillers.

Drugs and machines kept Michael Kohlhope alive. Because his organs started failing day by day.

It went so far that on June 20, the mother was even told to call relatives to say goodbye to Michael. As J’Lene Hardaway says, relatives must come from all over the country.

The brother told US news channel “Kens5” that doctors were concerned that Michael might be brain dead. Out of nowhere, after 11 days of intensive medical treatment, Kohlhoff bounced back.

So he was able to breathe on his own again. However, the disease left severe marks. Vasopressor therapy resulted in dry gangrene of his arms and legs.

Unable to treat him, doctors were forced to amputate his arms and legs. In retrospect, the cause of septic shock was also apparent. The 35-year-old was suffering from a type of typhoid fever, which was triggered by a flea bite.

After a rash develops around a flea bite, people usually see a doctor. In this case, Kohlhof initially had no symptoms – then it was already too late.