A man bitten on the leg by a 7-foot shark quickly gets treatment for his wounds. A week later, he suffers from excruciating pain brought about by flesh-eating bacteria.
Shark Bite
In early August, Blaine Shelton from Texas was swimming at Crystal Beach in Houston when he spotted a fin, which he immediately knew was not from a friendly porpoise. He was reportedly about 200 yards from the shore, so he began swimming to get away from the shark. It was then that he was bitten on the thigh, just above his knee. Shelton was able to swim ashore after the bite and was immediately taken to the hospital to be treated for his wounds. He later learns that the shark attack was likely from a 7-foot bull shark.
Unfortunately, Shelton’s ordeal did not end after being treated for the substantial shark bite, for he had to go back to the hospital merely a week after being released because he was experiencing severe pain in the area around his wound. There, doctors told him that he had been infected with a flesh-eating bacteria, or necrotizing fasciitis. It even came to a point when the pain was so severe that he could barely walk.
Because of the ordeal, Shelton wants to warn people about the seriousness of flesh-eating bacteria, as he himself did not take the threat of bacteria in the water seriously enough in the past. As such, he advises others to not get in the water if they have a scratch or to clean the wound with alcohol immediately after getting out of the water.
Shelton has set up a GoFundMe page to help with his medical bills.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria
Necrotizing fasciitis, or more commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, is a rare and serious bacterial infection that affects the tissues under the skin that surrounds muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and fats. It commonly gets into the body through breaks in the skin such as open wounds and may cause loss of limbs or even death if not treated immediately.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acting fast is the key to fighting the infection, as it can spread and destroy tissue very quickly. As such, accurate diagnosis, rapid antibiotic treatment, and immediate surgery to remove infected tissue are very important in treating the infection and stopping it from causing further damage.
Necrotizing fasciitis is considered rare, and people with strong immune system, good and proper wound care, and good hygiene are said to have low chances of contracting the infection. However, people with health issues such as cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease may be more susceptible to contracting the infection because of their compromised immune systems.
To avoid such infections it is important to treat wounds promptly and properly and to avoid spending time in hot tubs or swimming pools and in natural bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans if one has an open wound.
