An Annapolis, Maryland, man is said to be recovering after contracting what’s commonly known as “flesh-eating bacteria” earlier this month.
It’s believed he came in contact with bacteria called Aeromonas hydrophila when he cut himself on a bait trap that had been in waters that flow into the Chesapeake Bay, according to Chesapeake Bay Magazine.
It eventually landed him in the hospital, requiring surgery and antibiotics to save his leg.
“Aeromonas skin infections really are a type of infection that preys on the immunocompromised,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist with Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. He said open wounds on your body are the easy paths for the bacteria to get in.
“If you have any underlying health conditions, if you are immunocompromised, you have to be very careful when you’re in any kind of body of water and you have an open cut,” he said. “Your immune system may not be able to fight off what, for most people, are not really going to cause much of a problem.”
“It’s not something that everybody gets, that’s why when a severe infection occurs, it often makes headline news because they are relatively rare,” he added.
Bacteria like Aeromonas hydrophila are commonly found in fresh and brackish waters, while many strains of vibrio, which can also lead to flesh-eating diseases, are commonly found in brackish water like the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Vibrio strains can also be found in the coastal bays near Ocean City.
“It is responsible for causing skin infections in some individuals and also causing diarrheal illness in some individuals,” Adalja said. “But when you see a very severe case, including flesh-eating disease or necrotizing fasciitis, it’s often in an immunocompromised individual who has been exposed in a setting of water where there was an open wound.”
The state of Maryland posts warning signs about bacteria near access points to those waters, even though infections like this one tend to be rare. Individuals are encouraged to avoid coming in contact with such waters if they have any scrapes or cuts on their body.
The Maryland Department of the Environment suggests keeping any open wounds from coming in contact with the water to begin with, but also urges any affected individuals to clean any scrape or cut with soap and water immediately in the event of contact.
“If you get signs of infection, redness, pain, swelling, drainage, seek medical attention quickly before it has the chance to get worse,” Adalja said.
In this most recent case, Chesapeake Bay Magazine reported the man required skin grafts over almost his entire leg. He continues to receive treatment.
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