A young Brazilian woman working in Colorado through an exchange program is left paralyzed and fighting for her life in a hospital after contracting a rare bacterial infection, her family announced.
Claudia de Albuquerque Serrada, 23, was admitted to the hospital on February 17th after suffering from paralysis, dizziness, double vision and shortness of breath, and was diagnosed with botulism two weeks later. A source in her family told the Aspen Daily News.
Albuquerque-Cerrada has since been receiving breathing assistance at Swedish Medical Center in Denver.
Her sister, Luisa Albuquerque, wrote on social media A hospital in Denver is paying for her flight back to Brazil in an air ambulance.
“We believe that recovery will be much faster if you are close to family and friends. If you compare the cost of staying here with the cost of returning to Brazil, it is still cheaper to return home,” said the sister.
Each day spent in the hospital costs about $10,000, family sources added.
“Her travel insurance ran out a long time ago and her hospital bills are only going up.”
Albuquerque-Cerrada had been working in Aspen since November as part of an exchange program.
Her sister said she felt unwell and had to leave work early one day in February. Talks to Portuguese outlet UOL“She took a shower, ate dinner, and went to bed, but felt short of breath, blurred vision, and dizziness.”
She messaged friends about her illness, and by the time they arrived the next morning, her condition had significantly worsened.
“When they arrived, my sister was already quite ill, barely able to breathe on her own and suffering from facial paralysis. She also had very weak muscles, weak arms, weak legs, etc. She went to the hospital and became completely paralyzed soon after,” her sister said in Portuguese.
Her family said they don’t know where she contracted the infection but believe it was food poisoning.
“Botulism was diagnosed only 15 days after symptoms appeared, but it is unclear which food items were contaminated with Clostridium botulism,” a family member wrote on social media, according to the newspaper.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines botulism as “a rare but serious disease caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves.” Symptoms usually begin in the eyes, face, mouth, and throat and then spread to other parts of the body. It also weakens the muscles involved in breathing, which can lead to breathing difficulties and even death.
Pitkin County officials later told the newspaper This incident is believed to be isolated and there is no risk to the public.
Albuquerque-Serrada’s family had raised $200,000 to pay for an air ambulance before a Denver hospital announced it would pay for her transport.
A fundraiser set up by her family is currently aiming to pay off the $500,000 in debt she incurred at the hospital.
