No Evidence CA Woman Who Lost Limbs Got Sick From Fish, Health Department Says

SAN JOSE, CA — A California woman who lost all her limbs after falling ill over the summer has not tested positive for the rare bacterial infection vibrio vulnificus, according to local health authorities, despite a family friend’s claim that she was diagnosed with the illness.

A GoFundMe for Laura Barajas, a 40-year-old mother whose limbs were amputated last week, said she got sick after eating fish from a San Jose market and was found to have vibrio vulnificus. As of mid-day Wednesday, the fundraiser had collected over $110,000 in donations.

The bacterial infection is mainly transmitted through open-wound contact with salty water, but it can infect people who eat raw or undercooked shellfish, according to a recent health advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Up to 200 cases are reported to the CDC annually.

Local medical providers and labs must report certain diseases to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, according to the agency, which this week requested notification from the hospital where Barajas was a patient if there was suspicion of a reportable disease.

“Preliminary information has now been received regarding this individual, confirming that no laboratory tests are positive for Vibrio,” the department said in a prepared statement. “Several different diseases including but not limited to Vibrio can cause tragic clinical outcomes like this one. Public Health is actively investigating to confirm if a cause of this illness can be identified.”

There is no known risk to the public, according to the department.