health
Flesh-eating bacteria devour man's arm and leg in just three days
When doctors saw him, his limbs were discolored and crackling.
TL;DR
- A 74-year-old man developed rapidly rotting limbs after a cut on his leg became infected after swimming in Florida's Gulf Coast waters.
- The infection was caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacterium contracted through wounds exposed to contaminated water or consumption of contaminated seafood.
- The bacteria aggressively attacks cells, degrades tissue, causes inflammation, and suppresses immune responses, leading to a high mortality rate, especially for those with underlying health conditions or sepsis.
- The man required amputation of his leg above the knee and extensive skin grafting on his arm, but recovered after surgery and antibiotic treatment.
- Medical experts attribute the increasing prevalence and geographic spread of Vibrio vulnificus to climate change, citing rising water temperatures and other environmental factors.
- Public health advisories recommend avoiding brackish waters with open wounds, thoroughly cooking seafood, and washing hands after handling raw seafood to prevent Vibrio infections.