Teen fears she caught lethal bacteria which almost killed her after sharing vape

Sian Alderton, 18, caught bacterial meningitis - a uncommon corruption that causes inflammation astir the encephalon - aft going retired with friends

A teen who was placed successful an induced coma and astir died believes she caught a perchance lethal corruption aft sharing a vape on a nighttime out.

Sian Alderton, 18, caught bacterial meningitis - a uncommon corruption that causes inflammation astir the encephalon - aft going retired with friends. She initially thought she had a sickness bug erstwhile she began to consciousness sick the pursuing time but was rushed to hospital erstwhile her mum noticed reddish spots connected her body.

Ms Alderton was placed successful a medically-induced coma for 4 days arsenic her assemblage battled the infection. She and her mum Kerrie are present raising consciousness of the signs of meningitis aft doctors judge she could person caught it from sharing drinks, a vape oregon kissing.

Mum Kerrie Durrant, 36, said: "Everything happened truthful rapidly erstwhile we arrived astatine the hospital. Sian was enactment into an induced coma and the doctors and consultants told america Sian was precise poorly. We would request to hole for the worst and to accidental our goodbyes arsenic she whitethorn not travel retired of the coma.

"I privation to marque radical alert that the doctors person to find a root oregon wherever the meningitis bacteria started from. During tests Sian showed symptoms of sinusitis meaning it could person perchance been contracted done saliva from specified things arsenic vaping, kissing oregon sharing drinks."

Sian went retired connected October 18 to 2 clubs successful Norwich, Norfolk, with her friends wherever she said she shared a vape with them. She said: "I'm not a dense drinker and similar the socialising of going out. I had 3 oregon 4 drinks. I shared my vape with 3 communal friends and this is not antithetic arsenic everyone shares vapes connected a nighttime out. I didn't deliberation thing of it due to the fact that they were my friends."

Sian thought she had a sickness bug erstwhile she started feeling sick the pursuing time and began vomiting aft having a Chinese takeaway successful the evening. However the adjacent day, she was covered successful "red and purple spots". Her mum held a solid against the spots but they did not vanish nether unit truthful the brace raced to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Sian said: "The past happening I retrieve is walking into the infirmary entrance. I cognize I was aching and it was hard to determination truthful I sat successful a wheelchair but past it gets blurry." Her mum Kerrie explained: "By luncheon clip Sian was complaining of a headache and I noticed she was drinking a batch of water.

She said: "I suggested to Sian to determination to get much comfy and this is erstwhile Sian said 'I can't determination mum, I ache'. I pulled backmost the duvet to assistance her get into a much comfy presumption and that's erstwhile I noticed the rash connected her legs and stomach. They looked similar chickenhearted pox oregon insect bites but the rash was not raised - it felt creaseless to the tegument and they were reddish successful colour. I started to get acrophobic astatine this constituent and I went to get a solid and the rash did not disappear.

"Me and Sian's stepdad decided to instrumentality her to A&E ourselves but knowing what I cognize present I would person called 999. During the 20-minute car journey, Sian started holding her caput saying 'It wounded truly bad' and past started to make much of a rash connected her cervix but that was purple."

Within 4 hours of arriving astatine the hospital, Sian was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and placed into a medically-induced coma for 4 days. Sian added: "When I woke up a fewer days aboriginal I was inactive beauteous retired of it but was told I had bacterial meningococcus oregon meningitis. It was 1 of a precise fewer cases the infirmary had ever seen."

The doctors treating her explained it mightiness person travel from sharing a portion oregon vape oregon kissing idiosyncratic portion she was retired but they couldn't pinpoint the cause. Sian said: "It was a truly hard clip but my household visiting maine each time helped the most. My mum came each azygous time and slept implicit a fewer nights truthful I wasn't unsocial each the time."

Sian spent 14 days altogether successful infirmary and remarkably passed her driving trial little than a week aft being discharged. Her mum, Kerrie, added: "Myself and the household would truly similar to convey the NNUH doctors, consultants, nurses and everyone other progressive successful Sian's care. The unit successful A&E, resus, ICU and the Heydon Ward truly are amazing."

Dr Tom Nutt, CEO of the foundation Meningitis Now, said: "Bacterial meningitis is simply a life-threatening unwellness that tin onslaught abruptly and advancement rapidly. While not everyone exposed to the bacteria becomes ill, adjacent contacts of idiosyncratic with meningitis are astatine higher hazard and whitethorn necessitate preventive antibiotics. Avoiding the sharing of idiosyncratic items and staying up to day with vaccinations tin assistance trim the hazard of transmission.

"If you fishy meningitis, spot your instincts and question urgent aesculapian attention. Early diagnosis and attraction tin prevention lives."