Audio By Carbonatix
Hours after eating leftovers from a restaurant, a 19-year-old was admitted to the hospital with multiple organ failure and later had both his legs and all his fingers amputated.
The Massachusetts college student had eaten rice, chicken and lo mein from a restaurant. Soon after, he felt abdominal pain and his skin turned a shade of purple, according to a report by The New England Journal of Medicine.
The teenager was admitted to a hospital for "shock, multiple organ failure, and rash,” and his condition quickly declined. He experienced abnormal breathing, high blood pressure and vomiting. The student had been healthy overall with regular drinking and smoking habits, the report said.
After further tests, he was diagnosed with meningococcal purpura fulminan disease, which caused his stiff neck, nausea, respiratory collapse, shock and organ failure, according to the report. Purpura fulminan is a rare complication that comes with septic shock, which the college student experience, according to the report.
How to store rice: Eating leftover rice can make you very sick. Here's how to properly store it
The condition is caused by bacteria and brings symptoms such as sudden fever and vomiting. The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention warns it can “lead to death in as little as a few hours.”
Over the course of his hospital stay, his condition worsened and he developed necrosis, the death of tissue and cells. At that point, doctors had to amputate his legs and fingers, according to the report. He also needed a pacemaker for 13 days to treat his cardiac dysfunction.
Experts have warned against the dangers of improperly storing leftover rice because items such as rice and pasta contain a bacterium called Bacillus cereus. The bacteria produces a toxin when heated and left out too long, according to the CDC. In 2008, a teenager died in his sleep after eating leftover pasta that wasn't refrigerated overnight, a case that was reported in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
The medical team learned that although the Massachusetts student had received a first dose of the meningococcal vaccine, he never received the recommended booster. His roommate also ate the leftover food and vomited but didn't have life-threatening reactions.
Latest Stories
-
Final day of Joy FM Back-to-School Fair: Come shop, save and prepare for the new school year
17 minutes -
GSE showed strong performance in August 2026 despite recording more stock losses
2 hours -
If CJ needs ethics law to know SOE comments were wrong, he may not be worthy of office – Arthur Kennedy
3 hours -
Stop touring state agencies and focus on the Judiciary’s problems – Arthur Kennedy to CJ
3 hours -
Apologise and don’t do it again – Arthur Kennedy to Chief Justice over SOE comments
3 hours -
Chief Justice remains committed to judicial independence, justice and equality – Judicial Service
4 hours -
Ghana concludes evacuation of citizens from South Africa; total returnees reach 1,900 – Ablakwa
4 hours -
Africa must define its own green transition path – Prof Fatima Denton
5 hours -
WASSCE 2026: English Language performance falls to 62.4% – WAEC
5 hours -
WASSCE 2026: Social Studies records sharp rebound as Maths, Science also improve
5 hours -
2026 WASSCE entry rises by 11% as 512,862 candidates sit exams
5 hours -
WASSCE 2026: English Language performance falls to 62.4% – WAEC
6 hours -
WAEC cancels 2026 WASSCE results of 8,295 candidates over examination irregularities
6 hours -
WAEC releases provisional 2026 WASSCE results for 512,862 candidates
6 hours -
CJ’s remarks on SOEs were made in good faith, not to undermine judicial independence – Judicial Service
9 hours