Eliana DeVos received a graft made with fish skin to help her recover from a serious bacterial infection that left an open wound on her neck. CNN’s Jacqueline Howard spoke with Eliana’s mom and her health team at Driscoll Children’s Hospital about the healing process.

Texas

Three-year-old Eliana DeVos, born prematurely at 23 weeks in Texas, developed a severe bacterial infection that caused a deep wound on her neck. Due to her fragile condition, she was not eligible for surgery or a conventional human skin graft. Instead, her medical team at Driscoll Children's Hospital used a combination of medical-grade honey and a graft made from wild Atlantic cod skin to treat the wound. 

The fish skin provided a scaffold for new tissue growth and contributed to healing, eventually dissolving as the wound closed. Eliana's care team believes this may be the first time fish skin has been used in this way for a preterm infant, and they hope the positive outcome can inspire similar treatments elsewhere.

Three-year-old saved by fish skin graft

Who is that? Ariel. Ariel, yes. Is she a mermaid? Are you a little mermaid too? Three-year-old Eliana Devos in Texas just may be a bit of a mermaid. Shortly after she was born, it was the healing power of fish skin that helped her recover from an open wound on her neck. It looks like a normal scar that you and I would get. You would have no way of knowing that they used fish skin to help expedite that healing process. Eliana was born preterm in April of 2022 at 23 weeks gestation, four months before her due date. She weighed a single pound. What's going on, little girl? She spent more than 100 days total in the NICU, but it was about midway through her stay when she developed a serious bacterial infection on her neck. It damaged the tissue under her skin and caused a deep wound. It sounds scary, but it was almost like a flesh-eating disease. Eliana was transferred from a general hospital to Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi. Despite her severe wound, she was not a candidate for surgery or a conventional human skin graft. They were too risky. She was a premature baby. The wound was very extensive and she was pretty sick, so I did not feel like it was safe to do a surgical procedure on her. Instead, Dr. Dimas and nurse practitioner Roxana Reyna tried something different. They used a medical-grade honey solution to clean out the wound. Medical honey is known to help safely remove dead tissue and support healing. Then they applied a mixture of that honey with the fish skin to cover the wound. It's microscopically so close to human skin that it helps the wound start to heal. It gives a scaffold. You see, the fish skin taken from wild Atlantic cod provided a type of platform for Eliana's body to grow new skin tissue, and some of the omega oils and other natural elements helped contribute to the healing process. Once it basically does its job helping the wound heal, then it sort of just melts away. Eliana's care team appears to be the first to use fish skin in this way in fragile, preterm infants. What we're doing is being able to share our story, our Eliana story, and to be able to have those positive outcomes elsewhere.

President Donald Trump says a 25% tariff on imports from India will start Aug. 1. He says there will be an additional penalty because the country buys energy from Russia.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump to put 25% tariff on imports from India

A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 16 feet nearby, and sparked evacuation orders in Japan, Hawaii and across the Pacific on Wednesday (July 30).

Hawaii

Tsunami reaches Hawaii after huge quake shakes Russia's Far East

The U.N. General Assembly brought high-level officials together to promote a two-state solution to the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel and the United States are boycotting the two-day meeting, co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia

New York

Middle East Conflict

Israel and U.S. boycott UN Summit for two-state solution

With numerous countries facing an Aug. 1 trade agreement deadline, officials in the Trump administration say China could get an extension while negotiations continue.

Trump officials suggest potential tariff truce with China

Police say the man who shot and killed four people in a New York City office building before he took his own life had a "documented mental health history." Mayor Eric Adams says he may have been targeting the National Football League (NFL).

Manhattan gunman had 'documented mental health history'

Jeffrey Epstein-associate Ghislaine Maxwell is offering to testify before Congress in exchange for concessions like full immunity. CBS News Department of Justice reporter Jake Rosen has more.

Ghislaine Maxwell offers to testify before Congress

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday (July 29) Britain was prepared to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes a number of steps to improve life for Palestinians.

London

UK to recognize Palestinian state unless Israel takes action

Russia launched overnight air strikes on over 70 Ukrainian cities, killing more than 20 people, according to President Zelenskyy. A pregnant woman died near a hospital in the southeast, while a prison strike killed at least 17.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Deadly Russian air raids hit Ukraine as Trump warns of sanctions

For the first time, human rights groups inside Israel are accusing their own government of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel insists it is targeting Hamas, not civilians—despite nearly 60,000 Palestinian deaths since the war began almost two years ago.

Jerusalem

Rights groups in Israel accuse country of genocide

As Gaza’s crisis worsens, France is advocating for a two-state solution at a UN conference co-chaired by the French foreign minister. The meeting follows President Macron’s announcement that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September.

France leads UN talks on Israel-Palestine two-state solution

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was found guilty of bribery and witness tampering in an unprecedented trial that has shaken the country.

Bogotá

Ex-Colombian president Uribe convicted of witness tampering, bribery

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev posted on social media that President Trump's deadline push for a ceasefire with Ukraine is "a threat and a step towards war."

Moscow

Russian official calls Trump's ceasefire deadline 'a threat'

Ukraine says Russia's overnight air strikes hit a prison in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, killing at least 17 people. Another 35 were injured. Authorities say the attacks destroyed the jail buildings and damaged several nearby houses.

Zaporizhzhia

Russian air strikes hit a prison in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, 17 killed

Russia launched yet another attack on Ukraine overnight, with more than 300 drones and seven missiles. While most of the barrage was intercepted, the attacks prompted President Trump to give his Russian counterpart an ultimatum.

Trump gives Putin new deadline to end Ukraine war

A gunman killed at least one police officer and shot a handful of other people Monday in the heart of New York City. CBS News New York has the latest details.

Gunman kills police officer, wounds others in Midtown Manhattan

The suspect in the Michigan Walmart stabbing attack that injured 11 people over the weekend pleaded not guilty Monday to terrorism and assault charges.

Traverse City

Suspect pleads not guilty in Walmart stabbing attack

The U.S. Department of Justice says it took down child abuse websites that had more than 120,000 members and contained millions of files. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane explains how the arrest of one suspect nicknamed "Boss" was a huge priority for the FBI.

U.S. Justice Dept. shuts down four child abuse websites

Five people, including security guards, were killed by a gunman at Bangkok's Or Tor Kor market on Monday. The shooter, who injured two others, later killed himself, according to authorities.

Bangkok

Gunman kills five at busy Bangkok fresh food market

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “unconditional” ceasefire starting at midnight, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on July 28, a significant breakthrough to resolve five days of deadly border clashes.

Kuala Lumpur

Thailand and Cambodia agree to ceasefire

Truckloads of food reached hungry Gazans on July 28 after Israel promised to open secure aid routes, but humanitarian agencies warned vast amounts more were needed to stave off starvation.

Food arrives in Gaza after Israel pauses some fighting

Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials will resume talks in Stockholm to try to tackle longstanding economic disputes at the center of a trade war, aiming to extend a truce by three months and keeping high tariffs at bay.

Stockholm

U.S.-China trade truce extension seen, may ease way for Trump-Xi meet

A train derailment in southern Germany killed at least three people and injured others. The cause is under investigation, with weather possibly a factor.

Riedlingen

German train derails, killing at least three people

Israel has agreed to limit fighting in parts of Gaza and would allow more aid into the region, but both moves are facing criticism for being too little too late.

Israel announces daily pauses in Gaza fighting as aid trickles in

Abnormally high temperatures combined with heat and drought have fuelled destructive wildfires in parts of Europe, forcing thousands to be evacuated.

Athens

Heat fuels destructive wildfires in parts of Europe

Michigan officials say they will file terrorism charges and 11 charges of assault with intent to murder against the man who allegedly carried out a knife attack at a Walmart on Saturday. Lana Zak reports.

Garfield Township

Suspect in Michigan stabbing rampage to face terrorism charges

FAA investigators are in Denver after passengers and crew aboard an American Airlines flight were forced to evacuate when a tire blew during takeoff and the plane's rapid deceleration caused a brake fire, the airline said. Elise Preston reports.

Denver

Passengers evacuate burning plane in Denver

President Trump announced Sunday that the U.S. and European Union have come to a trade agreement after high-stakes meetings in Scotland. Weijia Jiang reports.

Edinburgh

Trump announces trade agreement with the European Union

Israel says it will now establish secure routes through the war zone in Gaza so aid convoys won't be shot at or looted. Elizabeth Palmer reports.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israel says it will establish secure routes for Gaza aid

U.S. President Donald Trump played golf Saturday at his course on Scotland's coast while protesters around the country took to the streets to decry his visit and accuse United Kingdom leaders of pandering to the American president.

Protesters in Scotland take to the streets to decry Trump's visit

Following four days of border clashes which have left over 30 people dead, the two sides have agreed to Malaysia acting as a mediator in the conflict.

Breakdown