Santa Ana Woman, 38, Dies of Flesh-Eating Strep Bacteria

ORANGE — A woman who developed a case of so-called flesh-eating bacteria died at St. Joseph Hospital after a one-week battle with the disease.

Jody Greenelish, 38, of Santa Ana was rushed to surgery when she discovered that a pimple-sized lesion on her buttock was spreading and accompanied by severe flu-like symptoms. Doctors diagnosed the lesion as necrotizing fasciitis, a disease caused in this case by Group A streptococcus bacteria, the same bacteria that causes strep throat.

Greenelish underwent surgery to remove the infected area, which by then had grown to the size of a grapefruit, said the surgeon, Dr. Ron Goldstein. Doctors removed an area the size of a basketball, he said.

Though Greenelish’s condition worsened after surgery, Goldstein said she made a recovery just a few days before she died on Monday.

“We had a minor miracle, everything started improving. She was down to one medication, she was breathing on her own, she was alert, awake and oriented,” Goldstein said. But overnight she suddenly worsened, and bacteria spread to other parts of her body.

Though the bacteria responsible for necrotizing fasciitis is common, the disease is not, and Goldstein cautioned against hysteria.

So far, 27 cases of invasive Group A strep--necrotizing fasciitis is one of them--were reported to the county’s Health Care Agency, said the agency’s epidemiologist Dr. Hildy Meyers. Two people in the county, including Greenelish, have died of necrotizing fasciitis this year. In all of last year, 26 cases were reported with one fatality.