Mother, 37, claims she caught a flesh-eating bug ‘that smelled like DEAD BODIES and could have killed her’ after having a Caesarean

• Claire Gurney’s stomach became hard and black just two days after giving birth
• Her local hospital dismissed her concerns and said she just had a temperature
• But the next day Ms Gurney, from Northamptonshire, was rushed in for surgery 
• The 37-year-old is thought to have had necrotising fasciitis, a vicious infection 

A mother claims she was left with an infection that smelled like ‘dead bodies’ after having a Caesarean section. 

Claire Gurney, from Kettering in Northamptonshire, said her stomach became hard and black just two days after giving birth.

Her local hospital dismissed her concerns and said she just had a temperature – but the next day she was rushed in for surgery.

The 37-year-old is thought to have caught necrotising fasciitis, a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection that damages tissue.

Doctors spent two hours operating on her, cutting out almost 5lbs (2.3kg) of dead tissue from her stomach. Ms Gurney said she ‘could have died’. 

Claire Gurney (left), from Northamptonshire, said her stomach became hard and black just two days after giving birth (pictured, what is believed to be her newborn baby and another one of her four children). Her local hospital dismissed her concerns and said she just had a temperature – but the next day she was rushed in for surgery

The 37-year-old is thought to have caught necrotising fasciitis, a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection that damages tissue. Doctors spent two hours operating on her, cutting out almost 5lbs (2.3kg) of dead tissue from her stomach. Ms Gurney said she ‘could have died’

Recalling the stench of the black mass on her stomach, the mother-of-four told Sun Online: ‘[It] smelled like dead people.’

‘I was sent home after the C-section and after two days I was getting a lot of pain in my stomach and then noticed my stomach was getting hard and black and smelly.

‘I called the local hospital and said I had a temperature and wasn’t feeling well at all. The next day I was rushed into surgery. I was in pain.’

Ms Gurney, who is considering legal action, added: ‘I don’t see where the infection could have came from other than the C-section.

‘I went through the C-section then two days later there was this big black mass. It was rotting tissue.’ 

Ms Gurney claims doctors wanted to put her in intensive care – but she ‘refused’ because her newborn baby wasn’t allowed with her.

Ms Gurney, who is considering legal action, added: ‘I don’t see where the infection could have came from other than the C-section. Ms Gurney claims doctors wanted to put her in intensive care – but she ‘refused’ because her newborn baby wasn’t allowed with her

A spokesman for Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said it was ‘very sorry’ to hear about Ms Gurney’s experience

NECROTISING FASCIITIS: THE VICIOUS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA

Necrotising fasciitis, more commonly known as ‘flesh-eating disease’, is a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection. ‘Necrotising’ refers to something that causes body tissue to die, and the infection can destroy skin, muscles and fat.

The disease develops when the bacteria enters the body, often through a minor cut or scrape. As the bacteria multiply, they release toxins that kill tissue and cut off blood flow to the area.

Because it is so virulent, the bacteria spreads rapidly throughout the body.

Symptoms include small, red lumps or bumps on the skin, rapidly-spreading bruising, sweating, chills, fever and nausea. Organ failure and shock are also common complications.

Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg.

Patients may undergo skin grafts after the infection has cleared up, to help the healing process or for aesthetic reasons.

There are 500 to 1,500 cases reported a year, but 20 to 25 percent of victims die.

She was only released from Kettering General Hospital yesterday, and must return every 24 hours to get antibiotics. 

A spokesman for Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said it was ‘very sorry’ to hear about Ms Gurney’s experience.

The trust told the Sun it will be in contact with Ms Gurney, and is keen to discuss ‘how her infection might have been caused’. 

It is not the first time this month that a new mother has claimed to have caught the same bacterial infection after having a C-section.  

Krista Parise, 32, from New York, last week claimed she was left just 24 hours away from death after having the emergency procedure.

Doctors found she had contracted a bacterial infection during her emergency C-section, which then led to the life-threatening NF.

She was allowed home two days after giving birth to Sal. However, she woke up the following day with a fever. 

Her gynaecologist sent her away – but her fever only became worse. Ms Parise then developed an excruciating pain in her stomach, which was ‘hot to touch’.

It became so bad that the Mercedes saleswoman struggled to walk, which left her bed-bound and in need of her mother’s help to care for Sal. 

Ms Parise developed pus-filled blisters on her scar, which she claimed smelled ‘so bad’ that she thought it came from ‘the homeless people’. 

Necrotising fasciitis develops when the bacteria enters the body, often through a minor cut or scrape. 

As the bacteria multiply, they release toxins that kill tissue and cut off blood flow to the area. 

Symptoms include small, red lumps or bumps on the skin, rapidly-spreading bruising, sweating, chills, fever and nausea.

Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. 

Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg, doctors say.

There are around 500 cases reported a year in the UK, but 20 to 25 per cent of victims die, according to figures. 

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