Amzar File

Brazilian amputee model dead at 20

Written by franksheung on Jan-24-09 2:23pm
From: imacroautobots.com

Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa, whose hands and feet were amputated in a bid to save her from a deadly and little-known illness, died early Saturday, two friends of the model told CNN.

"Unfortunately Mari couldn’t resist any longer. She passed away at 3 a.m. today," Henrique Fontes, executive director of Miss World Brazil, said in an e-mail to CNN.
Renato Lindgren, a friend of the model who runs a blog dedicated to her, confirmed da Costa’s death.


Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium which can cause diseases in animals, including humans. It is found in soil, water, most man-made environments throughout the world. It thrives not only in normal atmospheres, but also with little oxygen, and has thus colonised many natural and artificial environments. It uses a wide range of organic material for food; in animals, the versatility enables the organism to infect damaged tissues or people with reduced immunity. The symptoms of such infections are generalised inflammation and sepsis. If such colonisations occur in critical body organs such as the lungs, the urinary tract, and kidneys, the results can be fatal.[1] Because it thrives on moist surfaces, it is also found on and in medical equipment including catheters, causing cross infections in hospitals and clinics. It is also implicated in hot-tub rash, a form of dermatitis associated with poor hygiene and low maintenance of hot tubs.

Source: zimbio & wikipedia