Texas Man Dies from Flesh Eating Bacteria
A Texas man has died from the notorious flesh-eating bacteria.
Fox News reports that the unidentified elderly man had been wading and fishing in Gulf waters and had open wounds on his legs. He soon began showing signs of the infection and was rushed to a Nueces County hospital. He died within 36 hours of arrival.
The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District said the man had exhibited signs of a Vibrio bacterial infection.
Vibrio is found in coastal waters where oysters live. An estimated 80,000 illnesses occur in the United States annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 100 people reportedly die from the infection each year.
Not only can the bacteria enter the body through an open wound, but it is also contractible by consuming raw or uncooked seafood. According to the CDC, most infections occur from May to October when water temps are at their warmest.
A Florida man died last week from consuming an oyster with the same species of the bacteria, the New York Post reported.