Family’s shock after Ashley Timbery suddenly collapsed and later died due to mysterious bacteria attacking her internal organs

A family has been left heartbroken after a young woman was suddenly struck by a mystery illness and died.

Ashley Timbery, 29, from Nowra on the NSW south coast, lost feeling in her legs on February 15 and collapsed before being rushed to the intensive care unit at Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital.

Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma while they performed tests that found a number of holes in her lungs, determining she had a “superbug” infection that was attacking her organs.

After ten days in Shoalhaven Hospital, Ms Timbery was transferred to St George’s Hospital in Sydney, where doctors discovered she had specifically contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, making infection extremely difficult to treat.

According to the Mayo Clinic, most people contract the infection in hospitals or other healthcare settings, such as aged care facilities, but the infection is also present in the wider community.

Other groups at increased risk include athletes, people in confined spaces such as army barracks or prisons, drug users, people with weakened immune systems and those who have recently undergone surgery – although this is not limited to these groups.

Mrs. Timbery’s infection resulted in pneumonia, which was her cause of death.

Her cousin Shantelle Locke said there were no obvious symptoms that Ms Timbery was seriously ill leading up to her collapse.

“The doctor seemed to think she might have had the pneumonia for a few weeks before she went to hospital, but she never received treatment for it and clearly didn’t know it was pneumonia,” Ms Locke said. Yahoo News.

Shantelle Lock (left) with her cousin Ashely Timbery (right) who she said had no obvious symptoms of feeling seriously ill

Mrs. Timbery felt only slightly lethargic and had one or two boils, which is a symptom of the infection that can look like large pimples.

Her right lung had collapsed at Shoalhaven Hospital from the pneumonia, which doctors drained and helped inflate, but her left lung did the same when she arrived in St. George.

‘The doctors showed us a CT scan which showed a normal lung. Then they showed us hers (and) hers was full of holes,” Ms. Locke said.

“This was due to her lungs being clogged by the pneumonia, and the microbe starting to settle in the cavities of her lungs.”

Mrs. Timbery died on February 29.

Ms. Locke said Ms. Timbery’s mother is especially struggling.

“Unfortunately, because Ashley was so young, we didn’t have a funeral plan.”

The family asks for it donations to assist with Mrs. Timbery’s funeral expenses.

WHAT ARE STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTIONS?

Staphylococcal or ‘staph’ infections are caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus.

These can cause relatively minor skin infections, such as boils, but also serious infections that affect the blood, lungs and heart.

Most infections are caused by a group of bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus, which also includes MRSA. MRSA is resistant to certain antibiotics.

Infections that affect the skin and soft tissue include:

• Cooks – red, painful bumps that usually develop on the neck, face, armpits or buttocks
• Impetigo – causes ulcers, blisters and scabs; usually in children
• Abscesses of the skin – a collection of pus that appears as a painful lump under the skin’s surface

Invasive infections include:

• Endocarditis – infection of the lining of the heart, leading to fever, chest pain and coughing
• Pneumonia – lung infection causing coughing, breathing difficulties and chest pain
• Sepsis – a violent immune response leads to fever and rapid breathing and heart rate

About one in three people carry staph bacteria harmlessly on their skin.

Staph infections can cause red, painful boils that usually develop on the face

It only causes problems when it enters the body through cuts, abrasions or medical equipment.

Although healthy people can be affected, people with a weakened immune system, for example due to a side effect of chemotherapy, are more likely to be affected.

Boils and other minor forms of infection usually do not require treatment.

Antibiotics may be given or a minor procedure to drain pus from the skin.

Invasive infections require hospital treatment, usually involving antibiotic injections over several days.

People can help prevent staph infections by:

• Wash their hands often with soap and warm water
• Keeping the skin clean
• Do not share towels, razors, bed linen or toothbrushes
• Keep cuts clean and covered

Source: NHS Choices