A Texas man is fighting to save his leg after becoming infected by flesh eating bacteria while on a Father’s Day trip to the beach in Port Anneas, near Corpus Christi. According to the CDC, Adrian Ruiz, 42, of Buda, was admitted to Seton Medical Center Hays in Kylre, after developing a headache, fever and red rash on his leg, later diagnosed as Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which kill skin cells they come in contact with through existing cuts and abrasions.
According to the CDC, Ruiz is the 2nd person to develop the bacterial infection in the past 2 weeks, citing that the first victim identified as Brian Parrott, 50, had to have his leg amputated after contracting Vibrio following a trip to Galveston beach. Parrott is diabetic.
Meanwhile a representative of the Freeport, TX fire department told ABC News that “swimming at some beaches in Galveston County can be like swimming in a toilet.” Beaches regularly tested by the Texas General Land Office, which posts results of water quality weekly include those in Aransas, Brazoria, Cameron, Galveston, Harris, and Jefferson, Matagorda, Nueces and San Patricio counties
Vibrio vulnificus occurs naturally in warm coastal waters and can infect when someone’s open wound is exposed to brackish or salt water. Risk for it developing into necrotizing fascitiis (the flesh-eating disease) can be caused by at least a 6 types of bacteria. According to government figures, although 80,000 people come in contact with it throughout the US annually, only about 100 cases result in death. It should also be noted that the infection can also be contracted by eating contaminated shellfish.
