The second case of a flesh-eating bacteria has been recorded for the month of June after a Texas man reportedly contracted it from a day at the beach during a Father's Day outing.
Fox News reported that the man, identified as Adrian Ruiz, took his family to a trip to Rockport. Doctors believe that is where he contracted the flesh-eating bacteria. The man reportedly had fever over the weekend and woke up with a rash on his leg. A few days later, he was taken to the hospital and ended up being in the ICU.
His wife, La Shelle, said in a statement that it is still unknown if her husband's leg is to be amputated. She shared that she is fearful for her husband possibly losing his leg adding, "I don't want to think that's going to happen, and I told him we are going to be very positive." Ruiz reportedly swam at Port Aransas.
La'Shelle continued to say that once the doctor looked at her husband's foot, the medical practitioner said that it might be cellulitis since they have told him that they have been to the beach. The doctor reportedly said that he is not trying to scare Ruiz but there have been reports of flesh-eating bacteria in Galveston and Port O'Connor.
Ruiz was not immediately admitted as they went back home. However, when Ruiz's leg started to blister, he was taken back to the hospital and was admitted on Monday afternoon at the ICU at Seton Hays. He was diagnosed with Vibrio Vulnificus, a flesh damaging bacteria.
As per the Facebook page of his family, a statement says, "Within a few hours after being in the water he was sick and is now battling this horrible bacteria which has caused a nasty, huge open sore wound on his right leg." The Vibrio bacteria is said to be naturally present in coastal waters but are in higher concentrations from May to October when the temperatures are warmer.
Just last week, another Texas man named Brian Parrott, 50, had his leg amputated due to contracting flesh-eating bacteria. He reportedly spent around two hours in the water at a Galveston beach with his family.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued recommendations to prevent vibriosis. They recommend that eating raw or undercooked oysters or shellfish could lead to the infection and that people should always wash their hands with soap after handling raw shellfish. If one has a wound, he or she should stay out of salt water. Cuts and scrapes should be covered before going into the water.
