Rotting Smell Warned of Deadly Flesh-Eating Bug

A woman's life was saved hours before death due to a flesh-eating disease, necrotising fasciitis. Her daughter, Hayley Jacobs, recounted the terrifying ordeal when her mother, Margaret Jacobs, displayed unusual lethargy and delirium. A pungent smell, described as similar to rotting meat, was a critical warning sign of the severe infection.

Margaret's condition worsened, and after a lengthy bath, she appeared confused and in pain. Hayley suspected a urinary tract infection but soon realized the severity of the situation. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors determined Margaret had necrotising fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that attacks deep skin layers.

Doctors informed Hayley that Margaret needed immediate surgery to remove dead tissue. The mother underwent five operations on her thigh, groin, and back. She required a ventilator and life support, followed by two weeks in intensive care and six additional weeks in the hospital.

While the exact entry point for the bacteria remained unconfirmed, Hayley believes shingles sores on her mother's scalp and stomach may have been the cause. Margaret Jacobs, thankfully, has since recovered and returned home after a challenging two-month hospital stay, including a skin graft.