Brioni Klingberg, a 10-year-old Australian girl, was known for being happy, robust, and well until one day she fell ill, her only visible symptom being minor mouth ulcers.
She told her mother, Bridget, that eating and swallowing were painful due to these sores. Fearing for her daughter’s health, Bridget sought medical advice from a pediatrician.
In the following days, Brioni was seen by multiple doctors, yet none could make a definitive diagnosis. Soon after, a calamity struck.
“She wouldn’t eat her dinner, which was her favorite meal. That’s when we realized something was seriously wrong,” Bridget shared in an ABC News interview.
A pediatrician at an Adelaide children’s clinic thought it was merely a cold or slight infection. He prescribed some medication and asked for a follow-up visit the next day, when he assumed she was getting better.
In an account shared with the “Daily Mail,” Bridget stated, “We were sent home by each doctor we visited, leading us to believe her condition was not serious. Had it been, they would have kept her in the hospital.”
A different doctor later suspected Brioni might have infectious mononucleosis and provided antibiotics. He performed a blood test, and due to odd results, suggested her parents take her to the hospital.
Herpes Simplex Virus type 1
However, it was too late. Brioni’s condition worsened to the point where she lost consciousness en route to the emergency room. She passed away the next day in the ICU, only a week since the mouth ulcers appeared.
The postmortem revealed her liver suffered from extensive necrosis, a result of a herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection.
At a medical negligence hearing regarding Brioni’s death, one of the physicians asserted that he did not perceive any risk from her ulcers during his examination. Yet, it was the herpes virus that eventually led to her organ failure.
As per “Healthline.com”, mouth ulcers are usually non-contagious and recover within a week or two. However, if one has large, painful sores that persist for an extended period, immediate medical attention is advised.
Please distribute this article widely to increase awareness of the symptoms of this dangerous disease. Timely medical assistance can be lifesaving. This disease should claim no more lives.
