A Warning - Virginia woman contracts flesh-eating infection

[DeepseekerADS]

Virginia woman contracts flesh-eating infection, has emergency surgery after 10 minutes swimming at local beach

https://www.foxnews.com/health/virg...gery-after-10-minutes-swimming-at-local-beach

By Brie Stimson | Fox News

More flesh-eating bacteria cases reported in Florida



Although the infection is not very common, scientists expect more cases to be reported as the weather gets hotter as the bacteria flourishes in warm water.

A Virginia woman who contracted a flesh-eating staph infection that spread through her leg after just 10 minutes in the water, had to have emergency surgery days later, according to reports.

Edwards had been at Norfolk’s Ocean View Beach last week with friends when she noticed the infection spreading. She told WTKR she ignored it for a couple of days until she couldn’t walk anymore.

Finally, she went to the hospital for emergency surgery. “They had to cut me open, drain it out and stuff it with some gauze. I had to keep it covered for days. I had to take three antibodies every six hours.”

She said doctors told her the infection may have spread through an open cut in her leg. WTKR reported there was a swimming advisory when Edwards was at the beach due to increased bacteria in the water.

“I was just like, 'Oh, my goodness my leg is gonna fall off,'" Amanda Edwards told WTKR. “That’s the only thing I could keep thinking.”

 

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[cudamark]

Mis-used statistics suggesting such infections are uncommon are not helpful to those who live and are exposed to the bacteria where they are common. Vibrio infections are not uncommon in some coastal areas. It is a horrible way to die and worth taking precautions and seeking prompt medical treatment.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely true. Mis-using stats by alarmists is also not helpful to those people who are in an area where such infections are virtually non-existent. It would be much more helpful to make people be aware of a local condition rather than make a blanket statement warning people everywhere about a local problem. That's why we have local agencies that test the water for bacteria. If in doubt, contact them. We have folks that post our beaches when there is a problem with bacteria. Don't yours?

 

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[Megalodon]

The bacteria that are tested for at beaches are coliform bacteria. These come from fecal matter and are highest after rain storms when sewers and sewer systems flood and discharge into waterways. These are the same bacteria that are tested for when homes with septic systems are sold. There is no routine testing for Vibrio. There are thousands of different types of bacteria and no public health agency can afford to test for more than one or two, especially those that are hard to culture.

Its not alarmist to encourage people who get infected in coastal areas to seek prompt treatment - when the mortality rate is about 30% after 48 hours. Its also not alarmist to encourage people to take proper precautions where Vibrio is prevalent - such as avoiding warm brackish water when one has open wounds. If scratched or cut in the field, it is prudent to wash with soap ASAP. The watermen (commercial fishermen) here use bleach on cuts - but that is likely overkill. Common sense is even more important because no agency tests for Vibrio - even when & where it is common. Vibrio bacteria are so common that expensive testing, if there was any will to spend tax money to do it, would not be helpful at all. In areas like our Chesapeake Bay and the coastal bays, we know that it is ubiquitous. Ditto for coastal waters south of here. Hence, it makes sense to urge people to take precautions.

 

[OBN]

The Chesapeake Bay is Bad.......... I have cuts I will use liquid bandage, then for larger I use 3M Tegaderm film. I have a small sore on my back right now, I'm using the Tegaderm film and my lighter drysuit. I'm not giving up my life or my Gold....

 

[Deep1]

Wow, how things have changed.
I'm 61 and growing up on, in and under the saltwater, the first thing we would do if we got cut was flush it with saltwater.
It would help heal it.
Now, it can kill you.

Here's my thoughts, they may differ from yours:
There has been billions of tons of different types of pollution released into the waterways and oceans over the years.
In that mess is antibiotics, in the last 40 years their use has exploded, they're used in everywhere.
Cows, pigs, chickens are feed antibiotics, when they poop, they poop antibiotics which wash into our waterways.
Aquaculture uses large amounts of antibiotics, which are released during water changes.
And then we have people who flush their medicine, here our sewer ends up in the Broad River after "processing".
All of these antibiotics in the water are allowing the bacteria to mutate. Allowing it to overcome our natural defenses.
It is resistant to all but the strongest of antibiotics.
The next step from there is total resistance and I fear that day is not so far away.
Deep1

 

[thumper]

Honey... I'm talking the bee barf kind...

I constantly have wounds or scabs from, my beaking birds, yard work,
house work, boat work, projects, basically making my world run.....
HONEY, I've found, is one of the quickest healers you can use.

I keep an empty jar (that usually has a little in the bottom) for wound applications.
As soon as I get an open wound, I wash it & apply a small amount of honey, cover it with a band-aid, & go about my day. Usually 12 hours is enough to close the wound.

A dear friend, years ago, passed from blood sepsis from diabetes complications.
She had turned antibiotic resistant, BUT, toward the end, the hospital started applying honey to her wounds, and they actually started healing!
They should have been doing that, all along....

Make sure you keep your tetanus shot up to date and keep an eye on ANY open wounds, for signs of infection.

GL & HH!

They make a cream called medi honny I think it is that has some good healing properties

 

[Doubter in MD]

Megalodon, are you talking about vibrio vulnificus? I think you are. There are over 200 reported cases per year. There are two distinct syndromes caused by this bacterium.

1. Eating raw or under cooked seafood - especially oysters.

Vibrio vulnificus is the leading cause of death related to seafood consumption. It causes overwhelming primary septicemia. Other symptoms also occur. The mortality rate is high. I've seen reports that put it over 50%.

2. Infection through an open wound.

You can also contract vibrio from exposing an open wound in warm, brackish water. Warm is a relative term. Anything above 68 degrees is warm enough.

Most patients who seek care develop sepsis, and severe cellulitis. In severe cases Necrotizing fasciitis can occur. The mortality rate for v.vulnificus contracted in this fashion is about 15%.


Having said all of that, most people who contract v. vulnificus have compromised immune systems.

You are correct. We should all be careful and try to avoid exposing wounds to brackish water in warm weather. More importantly, we should also stop eating raw and under cooked seafood. That's the greater risk.

 

[Megalodon]

Yes, Doubter, mostly V.vulnificans, but also V.parahaemolyticus.
I've always enjoyed oysters, but now limit my consumption of them to stews and pan-fried.
I head straight to the shower after each fossil hunt. With all the trees down from the top of the cliffs, I have to climb over, crawl under, or go around them - and they usually have thorns from briars or locusts, so its not easy to avoid scratches. I'm still healthy at 64, but at some point, I recognize that I'll have to give up walking in the Bay, especially as the water warms and becomes more favorable for Vibrio and other bacteria.

https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/index.html