Texan loses part of his feet and both arms due to flea bite

A man from Texas has lost both his arms and part of his feet to a flea bite, according to his family’s statement.

Michael Kohlhof, 35, was taken to an emergency room in San Antonio last month after he lost sensation in his toes. He also appeared to be suffering from what initially seemed like symptoms of severe flu, as per his mother, who wrote about the symptoms on a GoFundMe page.

Kohlhof ended up losing his limbs to gangrene that had set in but managed to escape fatality.

---

35-year-old gets limbs amputated due to gangrene following flea bite

Dry gangrene had set in Kohlhof's hands and feet. (Image via People)

Soon after losing feeling in his feet, Kohlhof went into septic shock after which he was rushed to the ICU.

He was then put on multiple support equipment like a ventilator and dialysis along with medications that included vasopressors, antibiotics and several IV treatments. That was done so, as his organs began to fail rapidly.

Kohlhof’s brother, Greg, said that he almost lost his sibling to the condition he went into, adding that doctors were worried that he could become brain-dead.

After 11 days of extensive medical assistance, Kohlhof became stable and was taken off the sedation and ventilator. However, Kohlhof’s hands and part of his feet had to be amputated due to the onset of dry gangrene. That, as stated by Kohlhof’s mother, J’Leene Hardaway, was a consequence of the vasopressors, which also happen to be one of the drugs that reportedly saved his life.

The reason behind Kohlkof’s sepsis and rapid decline was found to be a typhus infection caused by a flea bite. Doctors said that Kohlhof suffered from an extremely rare type of typhus that's not typically found in the US.

As per reports of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, typhus that's borne by fleas usually occurs in tropical and subtropical climates globally. Flea bites on humans mainly occur in the states of southern California, Texas and Hawaii.

---

What does a flea bite look like?

Flea bites appear as tiny red bumps on the skin (Image via Health)

After a flea has bitten a human, the skin at the spot usually forms a tiny, reddish bump.

Additionally, a ring-like mark may appear surrounding the area. These bites might appear in a cluster or in a straight line. Also, these bites typically occur on the legs, especially on the calves, ankles or feet. These rarely occur above the knee, unless the person spends a lot of time sitting or lying down.

---

What are flea bite symptoms?

Flea bite symptoms may differ from one person to another. If the flea is diseased, it can cause an allergic reaction with the symptoms becoming more severe. Fleas usually do not transmit diseases.

Certain common flea bit symptoms include

• Red, irritated, and itchy skin
• A feeling of pain around the bite mark
• Hives or rashes

More severe symptoms may include:

• Infection from a disease-carrying flea can manifest as body aches, nausea, rashes, fever, headaches, weight loss, abdominal pain, dizziness, and weakness.
• An allergic reaction manifesting as rash, hives, swelling, and shortness of breath

---

How to get rid of flea bites?

If you want to know how to treat flea bites, you will first have to know about the types of anti-itch ointments and antihistamines that would suit you best.

These medications are generally available over-the-counter at the pharmacy and help relieve irritated skin and allergic discomfort. However, it's advisable to consult a healthcare provider if the symptoms are severe after a flea bite, like an allergic reaction, headache, fever or body aches.

---

The CDC warns the general public against untreated typhus, which can bring about critical illness and damage to one or multiple organs. These may include the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys and liver.

People suffering from infected bites usually seek immediate medical help after locating a rash or swelling surrounding the bite mark. However, Greg said that his brother unfortunately showed no symptoms till it was too late.

The gangrene Kohlhof suffered had gone beyond treatment, due to which the doctors had to amputate both his hands to the forearm and half of his feet. Michael Kohlhof is a handyman, an admirer of art, a part-time pet sitter and a volunteer.