Family thrilled by recovery of killer virus victim

JUST weeks ago he was in a coma and on life support, hovering between life and death. Michael Nicholson's dream holiday to New England had turned to horror after a mosquito bite infected him with a rare and usually fatal virus.

Scotland on Sunday revealed how the painter and decorator from Livingston, West Lothian, had become the first European to contract the feared Triple E virus, unknowingly falling victim during a fishing trip in New Hampshire and collapsing on his return to Scotland.

But today, as our exclusive pictures show, Nicholson not only survived but is making remarkable progress that has amazed and delighted both his family and doctors alike.

The 35-year-old has opened his eyes, is off life support, no longer needs a feeding tube and can recognise his loved ones. He can say a few simple words and has even tried to play a game of peek-a-boo with his two-year-old niece.

Doctors at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, where he was eventually diagnosed, warned he could die or at best be severely disabled for the rest of his life. One in three people infected with the virus die.

His sister, Sharan McKenzie, revealed that despite the worst fears of medical staff, he has made slow but steady progress over the past few weeks.

McKenzie said her brother has now been moved to the rehabilitation unit at the Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh, where he will undergo an intensive assessment and rehabilitation programme.

McKenzie, 38, also from Livingston, said: "He's completely off artificial life support and his feeding tube has been taken out. He can take drinks out of a straw and can be fed soft food like ice cream and custard. If you ask him how he's feeling, he says 'great'. It is difficult to understand him, but he will be getting speech therapy and serious rehabilitation to relearn how to do everything."

McKenzie said that when her brother was first diagnosed with Triple E – Eastern Equine Encephalitis – there was barely any hope for his future.

Nicholson had returned from a holiday by the Saco River on August 30 with red, raw mosquito bites round his ankles. He had been enjoying a holiday with cousins in the US.

A few days after returning home, he suffered a seizure, lost consciousness and was taken into intensive care. Medics struggled for a diagnosis, but his sister discovered the possibility of Triple E from researching his symptoms on the internet.

Though relatively unheard of in the UK, the condition is well known in the eastern states of the US, where it is regarded as one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases. After McKenzie told the doctors her fears, they contacted colleagues in the US, and a firm diagnosis was made on September 13.

McKenzie added: "At one stage the doctors said to us they thought that he would probably be on tracheotomy and feeding tube for the rest of his life."

The family were devastated and visited him every day. Because they spent so much time at his bedside they realised he was waking up before doctors noticed. After being in a coma for six weeks, he began moving his legs and arms and opened his eyes.

It is not known why Nicholson has suddenly started to recover. Encephalitis is a complicated condition and it is impossible to predict an individual patient's chances.

"Now there are moments of clarity, it's like his brain is unclouding," McKenzie said. "He used to play the guitar and now if you ask him to play a G he will try and make the shape with his fingers. He does look like a very disabled person, but we are confident he will make a fair bit of progress. It is slow but it is good for us.

"I took my two-year-old daughter Drew to see him and I stood her on the bed and he said her name. He was trying to put his hands up to his face and play peek-a-boo. That's what he used to do when he saw her.

"If he can move his legs slightly there's no reason why he can't move them properly. But at this stage there's no way of knowing how much brain damage there is going to be."

"It might be slow progress and take a year or 18 months. But he's in the best place he could possibly be. "

The family will all visit Nicholson on Christmas Day.

McKenzie added: "It will be much the same as any day. Everyone will go to visit him at some point in the day. I have put a Christmas tree by his bed and he likes the bright lights."

Nicholson is thought to have been unaware of the risk of Triple E, which was not included in Foreign Office travel advice at the time of his trip.

Following our story and pressure from his family, the Foreign Office acted swiftly to amend its travel advice to include an alert for British holidaymakers heading for the New England area.