Young woman loses fingers and legs to meningococcal B disease

Last October Juttima Chinnasri felt a bit ­feverish and thought she was catching the flu so went home and put herself to bed. Six months later, she is adjusting to life in a wheelchair, waiting for prosthetic legs and learning to do simple tasks without fingers.

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Last October Juttima Chinnasri felt a bit ­feverish and thought she was catching the flu so went home and put herself to bed.

Six months later, she is adjusting to life in a wheelchair, waiting for prosthetic legs and learning to do simple tasks without fingers.

Her flu-like symptoms had turned deadly overnight. When she woke the next morning and looked in the mirror she was horrified.

“I saw rashes and black spots all over my face and body,” the 28-year-old told The Sunday Telegraph.

Juttima Chinnasri lost her fingers to meningococcal B.

Juttima Chinnasri was in an induced coma for a week.

The rash was meningococcal blood poisoning. From that point she was battling for life.

Her parents rushed her to St George Hospital where the doctors confirmed she was “very, very sick” and that is the last thing she remembered.

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Ms Chinnasri was placed in an induced coma for a week. Meningococcal blood poisoning kills one in 10.

“When I came out (of the coma) they told me they had to amputate my legs and all my fingers. Half of me didn’t believe it, I hoped there was another way out so I did not have to lose my legs and hands,” she said.

After three months in hospital, Ms Chinnasri is home with her parents in Kogarah trying to come to terms with such a horrific disease.

“I just try and think I am lucky I’m still here, it could have been way worse,” she said.

Ms Chinnasri succumbed to the B strain of meningococcal.

Juttima Chinnasri is adjusting to life without her fingers and legs after she contracted meningococcal B. Picture: Tim Hunter

In Australia there are five main strains of the disease, all of which now have vaccinations available. The B strain vaccination ­remains the only one not available free on the National Immunisation Program. Only South Australia has moved to provide Bexsero, the B vaccination, free of charge. In NSW, the three doses can cost up to $500.

The B strain remains the most common.

In 2018 there were 32 cases of B strain compared to 20 W strain and 16 Y strain. So far this year, there have been six B cases to two W.

Eliza Ault-Connell from Meningococcal Australia is also a meningococcal B survivor and has been lobbying NSW politicians to introduce free B strain vaccinations.

Bexsero, the B strain vaccine, has been knocked back by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee on a cost-benefit analysis. Glaxo Smith Kline, the makers of Bexsero said they were preparing another submission.

A spokeswoman for NSW Health said: “The SA government has funded a B vaccination program in response to local disease patterns and more severe health outcomes from ­meningococcal B in that state. NSW Health will continue to closely follow the pattern of meningococcal B disease in NSW and respond based on the evidence.”