A 19-year-old college student in Massachusetts was recently admitted to a hospital with “multiple organ failure and had both his legs and all his fingers amputated,” after eating bad leftovers.
According to reports, the student experienced abdominal pain and his skin turned purple shortly after he ate leftover rice, chicken and lo mein that he had saved from a trip out. He also reportedly had a rash when he was admitted to the hospital.
His diagnosis was reported as purpura fulminan, which is described as “a rare complication that comes with septic shock.”
Purpura fulminan can be caused by bacteria, and the CDC says it can “lead to death in as little as a few hours,” according to the report.
After being admitte the student developed necrosis, which led to his legs and fingers being amputated, and he also needed a pacemaker for nearly two weeks.
Rice and pasta can be particularly dangerous when improperly stored because it can contain a bacteria that can produce a toxin when it is heated and left out. The report said a teen died in 2008 after eating leftover pasta that wasn’t refrigerated overnight.