Jack Osbourne shared his harrowing experience of almost dying from a bacterial infection he contracted while filming in Malaysia. The TV personality was hospitalized after developing leptospirosis around two weeks following his departure from the country, but it wasn’t until he reached Finland that symptoms began to appear. Osbourne explained on “The Osbournes Podcast” how during a jungle trek in Bario, Malaysia, he fell ill upon returning home. He claimed that after an incubation period of around two weeks, his health took a serious turn for the worse, causing him intense pain and making it apparent that this wasn’t simply “a fake thing”. In fact, according to Kelly Osbourne, Jack’s sister, their mother Sharon was beside herself with worry. She had reportedly screamed uncontrollably when informed of her son’s dire situation while also calling the military for assistance.
Jack explained that due to his tropical disease in Finnish Lapland, medical professionals were at a loss as to how best treat him. He recalled being flown from Finland’s northernmost region to Helsinki where doctors struggled with diagnosing Jack as his body began shutting down. After five days of feeling the full brunt of this life-threatening illness, he was left wondering if there was any hope for recovery at all. In fact, one doctor even suggested that he might have contracted HIV. Eventually however, after further medical attention, doctors came to diagnose him with Weil’s disease or leptospirosis – a severe infection caused by the bacterium Leptospira.
Osbourne went on to explain how this bacteria is often found in water contaminated through animal urine; an unwitting circumstance which left its mark during his time swimming and bathing in jungle rivers whilst climbing boulders and jumping into them, as well as from leech bites he received at the bottom of his feet. The infection can cause symptoms such as fever, renal failure, jaundice, hemorrhage, and respiratory distress according to information provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Osbourne’s experience serves as a sobering reminder that travel abroad – no matter how exotic or picturesque it may seem at first glance – can pose serious health risks. It is essential for individuals planning on traveling overseas, especially those embarking upon outdoor adventures in tropical locations to exercise caution and ensure they have sufficient protection from mosquito bites along with knowledge regarding potentially lethal illness such as Leptospirosis – which Osbourne has described himself as lucky to survive.
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