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Flesh-Eating Bacteria Claims Teen's Leg

Teen's Leg Infected After Bike Fall

POSTED: Monday, January 3, 2005
UPDATED: 2:56 pm EST January 6, 2005

A Central Florida teen is recovering Tuesday after a flesh-eating bacteria forced doctors to amputate most of his leg, according to a Local 6 News report.

Nathan Dooley, 19, who is a recent Lake Mary High School graduate, recently received a cut on his leg after falling from his dirt bike during a ride at his new home in Oregon. The cut quickly became infected with what is known as flesh-eating bacteria and began to spread, Local 6 News reported.

"It's an absolute freak thing," Dooley's father Roger Dooley said from his Orange County, Fla., home. "He literally fought for his life for six days. He was in a drug-induced coma basically."

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Teen Loses Leg To Flesh-Eating Bacteria

Dooley's mother said she noticed the swelling and knew something was wrong.

"We saw this infection eat his leg," Dooley's mother said. "We watched it puff out."

Doctors who diagnosed Dooley with flesh-eating bacteria were forced to act quickly to stop the aggressive disease.

"This is the worse I have ever seen. I have never seen anyone lose a limb over it -- that's how bad this one was," Oregon Health and Science University's Dr. Yale Popowich said. "It was at the point where we were all very worried that it was going to continue spreading, which this type of infection can do. It can almost spread before your eyes."

Doctors also had to remove the infection from Dooley's muscles around his hip and upper leg.

Dooley did not have medical insurance, according to KOIN-TV. If he had lost both legs instead of one, he would have qualified for coverage under the Oregon Health Plan, according to the report.

Donations to help cover his medical costs, including additional surgeries, can be made by calling (541) 479-3351 or contacting the Evergreen Federal Bank at 969 S.E. Sixth St. Grants Pass, Ore., 97526.

Also, donations can be made at any Wachovia branch with the following information:
  • Nathan Dooley
  • Account #-1010113697496

    Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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