Freshers flu nearly killed me: How sepsis led to double leg amputation

A young woman who nearly died when she became severely ill just a week after arriving at university is warning students to remain vigilant and get vaccinated against meningitis. 

Just 27 hours after going to bed with what she thought was a cold, Ketia Moponda was fighting for her life in a coma and being treated for blood poisoning which resulted in double leg amputation. 

Ms Moponda’s brush with death came last September, just over a week after she arrived at De Montfort University, Leicester. 

The now 19-year-old had been at university for just eight days when she was struck down with what she initially believed to be freshers’ flu—the name commonly given to a battery of illnesses contracted by new students during the first few weeks of term. 

The next day, she was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary battling two life-threatening conditions, meningococcal septicaemia and bacterial meningitis. 

Ms Moponda, from Wolverhampton, said she has no memory of the 27 hours before she was found by a fellow student and rushed to hospital. 

‘As soon as they opened the door, they had to call the emergency services because it was described as looking like foul play,’ she told BBC News. 

‘There was blood and vomit everywhere. Just signs of a struggle. My body was failing.’ 

The teenager went into a coma and was hooked up to life support before she eventually woke up, defying the odds of her doctors who believed the infection would kill her. 

Meningococcal septicemia is a type of blood poisoning caused by the same type of bacteria that causes the most common form of bacterial meningitis. 

The blood poisoning forced medics to amputate Ms Moponda’s lower legs and parts of her fingers before she faced five long months of recovery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. 

Bacterial meningitis is less common than viral meningitis, but far more serious, requiring urgent medical care. 

Ms Moponda’s experience has made her determined to raise awareness for meningitis and ensure people know the early signs and symptoms. 

She is now campaigning on social media to share her story and increase visibility of young, black female amputees ahead of Freshers’ Week so students can be aware of the warning signs of the potentially deadly disease. 

Despite receiving her MenB vaccination in secondary school, Ms Moponda was left fighting for her life after contracting the disease. She is now urging students heading to university this month to register with their local GP. 

‘Don’t mistake everything for a common cold,’ she added. 

‘I made that mistake and went to sleep. It could have been fatal.’ 

Bacterial meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly and is most common in young children, teenagers and young adults. 

If it enters the bloodstream it can be fatal, attacking the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. 

Left untreated it can cause life-threatening sepsis—caused by the immune system overreacting to an infection and attacking the body’s own tissues and organs—and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves. 

A number of vaccinations are available that offer some protection against meningitis, but experts say it is ‘vital’ for everyone to be aware of the symptoms, as the MenACWY vaccine does not protect against meningitis B. 

The vaccine for meningitis B was not added to the NHS vaccination schedule until 2015 for babies, meaning that many first-year students are not protected against this particular strain. 

September is historically the peak season for meningitis B cases in young people. 

Freshers students are at high risk of becoming infected with the bacteria as they tend to mix closely with lots of new people. 

Around one in eight are thought to be missing out on the routine MenACWY vaccine, with hundreds of students falling ill, and some tragically dying, from the preventable disease every year.

Those who missed out on the vaccination as a teenager are eligible to get it from their GP until their 25th birthday—though around 13 per cent of teens are thought to be unprotected. 

As such, parents have been urged to check their child’s vaccination record before they start college and university. 

Caroline Hughes, support services manager at Meningitis Research Foundation, previously told the Daily Mail: ‘Meningitis can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time. 

‘However, students are at an increased risk. It is vital for everyone to be aware of the symptoms of meningitis as the MenACWY vaccine does not protect against the most common cause of life-threatening meningitis in young people. 

‘In the early stages, meningitis can look like a bad hangover, freshers’ flu or other mild illnesses, which makes it easy to dismiss. 

‘Symptoms can appear in any order but not everyone gets all symptoms. You must trust your instincts and seek urgent medical attention if you think someone is unwell. ‘

Meningitis Now, a charity which runs an annual awareness campaign directed specifically at students, is now calling for a three-fold approach to help protect young people.

 Dr Tom Nutt, chief executing officer, said: ‘Firstly, all people at risk should get a vaccine,’ Dr Nutt said.

‘Secondly, we are asking for the NHS to introduce a booster vaccine for students who may have had the MenB vaccine in infancy. 

‘And then, thirdly, we are asking for the MenB vaccination to be made available on the high street at a fair price.’ 

Currently, vaccines are only available privately, costing around £200 for a full course of two doses. 

WHAT IS MENINGITIS?

Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Anyone can be affected but at-risk people include those aged under five, 15-to-24 and over 45.

People exposed to passive smoking or with suppressed immune systems, such as patients undergoing chemotherapy, are also more at risk.

The most common forms of meningitis are bacterial and viral.

Symptoms for both include:

• Pale, blotchy skin with a rash that does not fade when compressed with a glass
• Stiff neck
• Dislike of bright lights  
• Fever, and cold hands and feet
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness 
• Severe headache 

Bacterial meningitis 

Bacterial meningitis requires urgent treatment at hospital with antibiotics.  

Some 10 per cent of bacterial cases are fatal.

Of those who survive, one in three suffer complications, including brain damage and hearing loss. 

Limb amputation is a potential side effect if septicaemia (blood poisoning) occurs.

Vaccines are available against certain strains of bacteria that cause meningitis, such as tuberculosis.

Viral meningitis 

Viral is rarely life-threatening but can cause long-lasting effects, such as headaches, fatigue and memory problems. 

Thousands of people suffer from viral meningitis every year in the UK. 

Treatment focuses on hydration, painkillers and rest.

Although ineffective, antibiotics may be given when patients arrive at hospital just in case they are suffering from the bacterial form of the disease. 

Source: Meningitis Now