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Fredericton teen fundraising for rare disorder

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CBC News reports a Fredericton teenager raised money and awareness this weekend to combat a rare disease she wasn’t even aware she had until an E. coli infection almost took her life two months ago.

Micaella Boer was in Saint John on Sunday, taking part in a fundraiser for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, an autoimmune blood disorder that causes the blood to become sticky and form clots in the body’s blood vessels.

The results can be deadly, causing heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.

Boer and a friend were both hospitalized because of a near-deadly E. coli infection in July.

Doctors believe the infection triggered the disorder, a condition that will affect Boer for life.

According to the Answering TTP Foundation’s website, infections can cause the rare disease to be expressed.

Two Canadian E. coli patients moved to regional hospital after conditions worsen

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A Fredericton teenager battling E. coli O157 has been sent to the Saint John Regional Hospital after her condition took a turn for the worse Monday afternoon.

The New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal reports Micaella Boer, 18, was transferred from the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital at about 3 p.m. after a test revealed the disease is attacking her body’s red blood cells.

For at least the next six days, she is to undergo blood transfusions and plasma exchange treatments to fight off the bacteria.

Victoria Boer, Micaella’s mother, said the turn of events happened only days after her daughter’s condition appeared to be improving.

Public Health officials confirmed Tuesday that the second patient has also been transferred to the Saint John Regional Hospital for treatment. Victoria said her daughter could be kept there for some time.

On Monday, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health, Dr. Denis Allard, said lab results wouldn’t be available before the first of next week and public health will provide more information when possible.

Of the four confirmed sick in the latest outbreak, one sought treatment after seeing Micaella’s Facebook post describing her symptoms.

CBC News reports that Micaella’s friend sought help for the illness after he saw her Facebook post describing her symptoms and realized his were similar.

Doctors sent him home with anitbiotics.

But Micaella and her father, Scott Boer, did some online research on the effects of E. coli and taking antibiotics.

They found that, in certain cases, antibiotics may make E. coli-related illness worse. Micaella also immediately messaged her friend, telling him not to take the medication.