Stacy Alexander-Harris, 42, a British children’s author from Ilford, east London. She was bitten by her pet dog on June 15 last year and died three days later from a rare infection.
According to British media reports, Harris was thought to be recovering from her wounds, but suddenly became unwell two days later and was subsequently rushed to the hospital, where her condition then deteriorated and she died.
The children’s author was walking her two dogs in Ilford, east London, on June 15 last year when she was bitten on the hand. She bandaged the wound herself and, at least on the surface, it appeared to be healing.
After being taken to the hospital, paramedics suspected she was suffering from sepsis and rushed her to King George’s Hospital in Ilford, however, it was too late.
Harris, a children’s author, was brought to the emergency room at 7:04 p.m. last June 17, where doctors found her very unwell and suffering from metabolic acidosis, a condition in which there is too much acid in body fluids.
Shortly after her arrival, she was placed on intravenous resuscitation and underwent a series of clinical tests over the course of an hour, and her care was immediately escalated.
A diagnosis revealed that she had neutropenic sepsis after a dog bite to her finger and was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit. However, Harris went into cardiac arrest in the early morning hours of June 18 and could not be revived despite doctors’ efforts to save her.
Blood tests after her death revealed the growth of a bacterium called “dog bite CO2 fibrobacter”, a microorganism commonly found in the mouths of dogs.
Her cause of death was investigated by the coroner at Walthamstow Court on April 28 of this year, and District Coroner Nadia Persaud gave the cause of death as a serious bacterial infection caused by a dog bite.
The coroner has issued a warning to the public in a report on preventing future deaths, warning the public to seek immediate medical attention if they feel ill from a dog bite.
Harris, who was born in North Carolina, took a photo of herself in the intensive care unit hours before she went into cardiac arrest. She also posted a photo of her bandaged hand a day after the incident.
District Coroner Nadia Persaud wrote, “During the course of the investigation, the evidence revealed a worrisome situation. It appears to me that if no action is taken, future deaths may occur. In this case, it is my legal duty to report to you.”
“The evidence during the inquest raised concerns about a knowledge gap regarding ‘dog bite CO2 fibrogenic bacteria’. The treating physicians at the time were not familiar with this bacterium, which lives in the mouths of dogs and cats, and were not aware that it was so susceptible to human infection.”
“This microbe can cause overwhelming infections in insensitive individuals. The coroner was told that diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hepatic steatosis put individuals at a higher risk of serious infection.”
The inquiry concluded that increased awareness of the bacterium within the medical community could prevent future deaths. “The inquiry committee also believes that the public needs to be made aware of the need for urgent medical attention if someone has a related underlying illness and is generally unwell following a dog or cat bite.”
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