Watch CBS News

Woman Has Limbs Amputated After Suffering Rare Form Of Strep Throat

KNOXVILLE, TN (CBS) – A Tennessee woman is alive after losing limbs in a brutal battle against strep throat.

Shelby Smith of Knoxville thought she had a common case of strep throat until she started convulsing and her lips turned blue.

FBI Director Comey: No Information To Support Trump Claims He Was Wiretapped By Obama

Her throat began closing up and her organs started to fail. She was in a medically induced coma for a week.

Smith woke up to find that she had lost circulation in most of her fingers and she had lost an index finger on her left hand.

"There was a pretty big chance I could've died. Little did I know that I was going into septic shock."

Meet 'Sesame Street's' Muppet With Autism

Dr. Jeffry King, an Infectious Disease Specialist says, "These cases are very rare, a few hundred cases a year. This is one of the most life-threatening illnesses that we see as far as a bacterial infection."

In the end, it was the medicine that was re-directing blood-flow to Smith's organs and killing circulation in her hands and toes.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.