May 27, Aimee Day: victim of flesh-eating bacteria Aimee Copeland spoke her first word

'Today… May 27… is AIMEE DAY!!! Today Aimee has finally spoken her first words. I will follow with details tonight.' This is the latest blog update by Andy Copeland, the father of young female suffering from flesh-eating bacteria. 

Family delighted as victim of flesh-eating bacteria Aimee Copeland (left most) spoke her first word (Pic Credit: Facebook)

Aimee Copeland had spoken reportedly her first words since her fingers and foot were removed by surgeons at Doctors Hospital in quest to save her life.

Her first words have certainly given her family a new hope for her life but one thing is still certain that Aimee Copeland is likely to remain in hospital for several months.

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Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways? 

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The 24-year-old university student was infected with flesh-eating bacteria as a result of an accident of homemade zip line over a local river on May 1. Copeland suffered a deep wound in her left leg after falling from the zip line and the bacteria took hold in the wound.

On very early stages of her treatment; doctors thought she had only a slim chance of surviving the aggressive infection which vigorously spread into her body including her abdominal area.

Aimee Copeland has recovered extremely quickly with the support of her family, her colleagues at university and well-wishers who have made donations on the website Copeland’s father set up for his brave daughter.

She was able to ask for ice-cream, and let her family know when she was bored and wanted a book to read.

Report Tags: Aimee Copeland, Flesh-eating Bacteria, Flesh-eating infection, Doctors Hospital, Georgia, Augusta, Zip Line Accident, Andy Copeland, Copeland

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways?

The horrifying tragedy of Aimee Copeland keeps the nation praying for the 24-year-old university student fighting to survive after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria following a fall in local river, Georgia.

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways?

The Americans are now concerned after the Copeland tragedy and the question continuously stings their minds …Could that type of bacteria be creeping around in the James River or other local waterways?

As reported earlier, Aimee Copeland contracted the unusual infection after an accident that took place on a homemade zip line during an expedition along the little Tallapoosa River, near Augusta.

The bacteria, which according to experts normally found in fresh water, entered her body through a deep cut in her left leg. Due to suffering from this rare kind of infection doctors have already removed her left leg and some infected tissues from her abdominal area; but still the infection is spreading and more body parts will soon be removed to save her life.

The question haunting the people …. Could the same type of bacterium be found in the James River, the Appomattox, or even a local pond or lake?

Dr. David Trump, a local expert at the state health department, spoke with CBS 6 on this critical issue.

He said, “I can’t make any guarantees about one place or the other, but there is more risk if the water is stagnant, whether it be cloudy or a pond…or if it is really high temperature.”

Dr. Trump also suggested strongly that if anybody suffers a cut or wound in the water, no matter where it is, get out and get it treated immediately.

Last August, a nine-year old Henrico boy died from an amoeba he picked up while swimming in the James River. His death was one of four deaths by amoeba, as confirmed by the Center for Disease Control. The others were in Kansas, Florida and Louisiana.

Report Tags: Flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland, Georgia Student, Augusta, Carrollton River, Fresh Water Bacteria, Bacterial Disease, Mystery Disease, USA

Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

There are heartening signs for Aimee Copeland, student of University of West Georgia, whose freak zip-lining accident led to a flesh-eating bacteria infection that's kept her on life support for days.

Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

The 24-year-old Aimee Copeland is at Doctor's Hospital in Augusta where the flesh-eating bacteria has already cost her one leg. Doctors and her family members fear to have more loss like her other leg as and both hands.

The infection began after Copeland went through surgery in which surgeon cut her leg last week. Copeland got injured when a homemade zip line over a Carrollton River broke, resulted in a wound in her leg due to fall in the water. She had frequent visits to a a local hospital due to severe pain.

She has been in serious condition since Friday, when she was diagnosed with the rare flesh-eating infection. Surgeons cut her left leg and also removed infected tissue from her abdomen hoping to stop the bacteria from spreading.

She is still on life support at an Augusta burn unit.

 

Though the story is tragic, Copeland's family seemed hopeful when she showed signs of movement despite doctors' warnings on Tuesday that her chances of survival were "slim to none."

"Aimee has had a spectacular day -- she's breathing more on her own and her body is responding positively," Copeland's sister Paige wrote Wednesday on the wall of a Facebook page set up for Aimee. "She even got emotional today, I think she's scared."

Aimee's father writes that his daughter is alert and trying to communicate.

"She said, 'I can't talk!" said Andy Copeland. "We told her it was because of the (breathing) tube, and we explained the need for it. She also asked, 'what happened?' and 'where am I?' I thought it would be better when she became alert, but it is actually harder for us."

A website was set up for those wishing to donate blood or money. Visit AimeeCopeland.com to leave warm wishes, view pictures or help the family.

Report Tags: Flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland, Georgia Student, Augusta, Carrollton River, Fresh Water Bacteria, Bacterial Disease, Mystery Disease, USA

Gilead Sciences' Truvada: Promises to prevent HIV/AIDS infection

There’s certainly very good news for the humanity as prevention drug has been emerged for one of the most deadly disease, HIV or AIDS – a monster eating thousands of lives every year around the globe.  

Gilead Sciences' Truvada: Promises to prevent HIV/AIDS infection

According to details; the advisory team of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has endorsed on Thursday the first drug, named as Truvada, shown to prevent HIV infection – the virus responsible of causing AIDS. Although FDA is not bound to follow the advisory team’s decision, but in normal circumstances it does. FDA’s final decision is expected in the mid of next month. 

The FDA advisory team recommended approval of the daily pill Truvada for healthy people who are at high risk of contracting HIV, including gay and bisexual men and heterosexual couples with one HIV-positive partner. 

Even though the Truvada got an important endorsement; but the FDA team has some reservations about the drug, like:

·         Whether Truvada might lead to the reduced use of condoms, the most dependable protection against HIV,

·         The effectiveness of Truvada in women, who have shown much lower rates of protection in studies.

Truvada first came in spotlight three years ago, back in 2010, when government researchers proved that the drug could stop people from contracting HIV. 

The researches kept on studying the effect of the drug and after three years they reached the points where they conclude that daily doses decrease the risk of infection in healthy gay and bisexual men by 42%, when accompanied by condoms and counseling. 

Last year another study was conducted  which fetched even better results concluding that Truvada reduced infection by 75% in heterosexual couples in which one partner was infected with HIV and the other was not.

Report Tags: HIV, AIDS, HIV Infection, Truvada, Gilead Sciences, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, USA, Health, AIDS Drug, AIDS prevention,

SOURCE:

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-fda-hiv-20120511,0,5295464.story