Brazilian Model Mariana Bridi da Costa Dies from Septicemia

Brazilian model and former Miss World contestant Mariana Bridi da Costa, who'd had her hands and feet amputated in an attempt to save her from the little known but deadly disease Septicemia, died early Saturday.

The stunning model placed sixth in Miss Bikini International competition in China last year and took first place for the "Best in Swimsuit" category. In 2007 and 2008, she came fourth in the contest to become Brazil's entrant for the Miss World pageant.

Da Costa, 20, struggled with the disease, which  forced doctors to perform the amputations and extract part of her stomach as well as both kidneys, CNNreported.

She was suffering from  necrosis -- the fast deadening of tissue -- caused by septicemia. Septicemia, triggered by a bacterial infection, causes insufficient blood flow that can lead to organ failure.

Da Costa first sought medical advice after feeling ill in late December. Hospital officials said she was transferred to Dorio Silva on January 3 in "septic shock," a serious medical condition caused by an inflammation.

"We know a lot about what happens once a patient contracts the illness but we know very little about what causes it," Dr. Greg Martin of Emory University in Atlanta told CNN. "It is a leading health threat in this country, killing at least 800,000 people a year," he said.

News of da Costa's condition spread quickly throughout Brazil and then worldwide, sending supporters and fans to her website in droves causing it to crash.

A message on her site read, "The whole world, I repeat, the whole world is touched by the case of Mariana," it said.