Father died as flesh-eating bug advanced

A FATHER died from a flesh-eating bug which advanced up his body as surgeons operated on him. Richard Johnson was dead within four hours of arriving in hospital – what doctors originally thought was arthritis in his left leg was the superbug necrotising fasciitis.

Surgeons amputated Mr Johnson's left leg to try to stop the infection but watched in horror as black areas spread to his abdomen while they were operating, it was revealed at an inquest.

The coroner has now urged family doctors to be given more information about the superbug as a result of the case.

The disease, which is becoming more common, is an infection which sweeps through the body, internally and externally, so quickly that it can actually be seen spreading.

Shop manager Mr Johnson, 54, from Crediton, Devon, was suffering from only a mild sore throat until hours before he died. He then developed a pain in his left ankle which his own GP and an out-of-hours doctor believed to be arthritis.

His condition deteriorated so quickly that by the time his family rushed him to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital at 3.10am, it was too late to save him.

He was taken straight into the operating theatre where surgeons tried to cut away the diseased tissue but found the infection was spreading too quickly to control.

Greater Devon Coroner Dr Elizabeth Earland recorded a verdict of natural causes on Mr Johnson, who died on November 18 last year. A post-mortem examination showed he died from septicaemia as a result of the necrotising fasciitis.

She said: "My intention is to write to the hospital to confirm the gravity of this case. Information about it is being disseminated and I recommend that is pursued. It is important as many GPs are made aware of it as soon as possible.

"I do not have any evidence that earlier action would have made a difference in this case.

"Mr Johnson began to suffer a sore throat in mid-November which developed into fulminating necrotising fasciitis," said the coroner.

Family doctor Dr Jan Shorney said Mr Johnson visited her on November 11 with a sore throat and she advised him to take painkillers.

He asked for a home visit on November 17, less than 24 hours before he died, and complained of a sore left ankle despite having suffered no injury.

She prescribed stronger painkillers and an anti-inflammatory drug.

He was in so much pain that by 9.30pm, his family took him to the walk-in centre at the hospital in Exeter where he was seen by the on-call GP who examined the swollen ankle and diagnosed arthritis, prescribing oral morphine.

Mr Johnson's condition deteriorated so quickly that his family took him to the accident and emergency department of the same hospital five-and-a-half hours later.

Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Andrew Watts said he carried out an amputation above the knee but it was too late to stop the spread of the disease.