Killer Flesh Eating Bacteria Freaks People Out – Tropical Storms Trigger It

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A Tennessee man died during the past week after he became infected by a bacteria called vibrio vulnificus during a trip to the Florida Panhandle, according to his daughter’s statements.

In a Facebook post, Cheryl Bennett Wiygul wrote her father became infected with the bacteria after a day of splashing around in the water off of Destin.

He seemed happy and talkative, according to his daughter.

“About 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning, 12 hours after we were in the water, he woke up with a fever, chills and some cramping. …  They got to the hospital in Memphis around 8 p.m.,” Wiygul said in the post, cited by USA Today.

Terrible symptoms lead to the man’s death 

She continued and said “They took him back immediately. As they were helping him get changed into his hospital gown they saw this terribly swollen black spot on his back that was not there before.”

It seems that the poor man’s condition worsened over the next few hours.

USA Today reported that his immune system had been weakened by a bout with cancer, and he died Sunday afternoon.

“He was gone by Sunday afternoon. Less than 48 hours after getting out of the water feeling great, the bacteria had destroyed him,” the man’s daughter posted.

The lab results have proven that he had been infected with the bacteria vibrio vulnificus, according to info released by his daughter.

The bacteria can cause flesh-eating 

“The bacteria is among those that can cause the flesh-eating phenomenon known as necrotizing fasciitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the online publication mentioned above wrote.

This bacteria seems to be pretty common in coastal waters especially between may and October and it can become a massive cause for concern following events such as hurricanes and tropical storms due to storm surge.

The man’s daughter concluded by saying that she doesn’t want to scare people, she just wants to raise awareness:

“People do need to know how to be more cautious and how to recognize symptoms. There is information out there but I didn’t find it all until it was too late.”

Rada Mateescu

I have been blogging and posting articles for over eight years, but my passion for writing dates back in 2000. I am especially enthusiastic about technology, science, and health-related issues. When I’m not researching and writing the latest news, I’m either watching sci-fi and horror movies or checking out places worth visiting and building deep memories for later in life. I believe in empathy and continually improving myself.