Strep suspected
in Maui death

An official says Debbie Kamali'i's death may
have been caused by flesh-eating bacteria

WAILUKU >> State health officials are conducting an investigation into the death of a well-known Maui hula instructor who died within a few days of complaining of a scratch on her thigh.

Debbie Kamali'i, 47, of Pukalani, daughter of Hawaiian cultural specialist Charles Maxwell, had complained about the infection on May 20, said her son Adrian Kamali'i. A state health official said the infection might have been caused by flesh-eating streptococcus.

He said his mother, who was healthy, was admitted to Maui Memorial Medical Center about 10 a.m. on May 23 and was dead about 8:30 that night.

"We don't know if it was a scratch or rash or bite," he said.

Kamali'i said a physician told him the infection was close to the blood vessels and that it spread throughout her body. "When she went to the hospital, it was too late. Not even the antibiotics helped," he said.

He said the state Health Director, Dr. Chiyome Leinaala Fukino, has asked officials on Maui to conduct a probe into the cause of death.

Dr. Lorrin Pang, the state health administrator on Maui, said the infection appears to be a flesh-eating streptococcus, and he is awaiting laboratory tests that will confirm his observations before issuing warnings to the public.

Pang said the flesh-eating strep seems to be predisposed to appear on people taking nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs.

Pang said Kamali'i was taking a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug similar to one a number of patients on Maui were taking in 2002. They also had severe flesh-eating infections that resulted in deaths, amputations or severe surgical procedures to cut away the infection.

He said while the Food and Drug Administration has not come out with a warning about the use of nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs and flesh-eating infections, physicians and scientists have noticed a correlation.

"If it was me, I wouldn't take it," he said.

Kamali'i said one of his worries was whether Maui Memorial was equipped to handle such infections.

Debbie Kamali'i was a training coordinator and cultural specialist at Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. who worked as the instructor of Na Paahau Maoli, a hula dance group composed of prisoners at Maui Community Correctional Center.

The group has performed before a number of public gatherings and also participated in the stage play "Na Leo I Ka Pu'uwai," directed by Lane Nishikawa.

"She really enlarged their world and our world. I feel like her spirit is still with us," said Verdine Kong, a Maui Economic Opportunity official.

Kong said many of Kamali'i's hula students at the prison are grieving but want to continue on her goal of perpetuating Hawaiian culture.

Services for Kamali'i are scheduled for Saturday at Ballard Family Mortuary, with visitation taking place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.