# HOLY COW ! Vibrio Vulnificus In WEEKI WACHEE Florida Waters !



## noeettica (Sep 23, 2007)

This is not Good :-(

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/8/2/woman_84_loses_leg_f.html




WEEKI WACHEE --

It only took two days for a dangerous bacteria to take hold of 84-year-old Margaret Freiwald’s body.

One day she was out on a boat with her friends and family, and 48 hours later, she lost a leg, and almost her life.

It all started with a simple stumble.

Freiwald’s daughter, Amber Casteman said her mother scraped her leg after tripping off the step of a boat while she was in the Gulf near Weeki Wachee. The bacteria, vibrio vulnificus, made it inside the open wound.

“It’s attacked all her organs. She was suffering kidney failure. She had a heart attack,” said her daughter.

The only way to save her life was to amputate her leg from above the knee. The bacteria also made it into her blood stream, which caused many other complications.

Luckily, doctors say the active senior citizen will make it through the scary incident. But her daughter said she will likely be on heart medication for the rest of her life. She’ll also have to learn how to walk again without her leg.

But Castleman said her mother is a “firecracker,” and she’s already asking for her favorite meals, and bugging doctors to go home. The whole family wants to warn people with compromised immune systems to be aware of the risks in the water.

“It never hits you until it hits home. I just want people to know it’s out there and be careful,” said Castleman.


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## warrenpb50 (Mar 18, 2013)

Vibrio is some bad stuff. We have regular cases in Texas, Usually in the hot, calm, back lakes that have little tidal movement. Salinity level may have something to do with the problem. The standard is if you have an open wound and get in saltwater, or the wound happens while around the water, any sign of infection get to the doctor. Don't mess around it's deadly in just a short period of time.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

"vibrio" is present in all warm salt or brackish waters... Here's a more extensive thread on the topic that I contributed to....
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=724041

A vibrio infection is easy to beat -- provided you get to the docs early on. Folks who wait a day or two can find themselves in deep trouble...


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## mike519 (Jul 26, 2010)

I posted this on custom gheenoe ForumWhat stunk in the Suwannee ,now stinks in the Gulf
by mike519 » Thu Jul 18, 2013 8:19 pm

Florida DOH warns against possible bacteria in Gulf waters
Published on July 18, 2013 by Bryan Cohen

The Florida Department of Health urged Floridians with health conditions on Tuesday to avoid exposing open wounds to seawater or eating raw oysters because the individuals could become infected with Vibrio vulnificus bacteria.

The department said that individuals with liver damage from excessive drinking or liver disease, such as cirrhosis and hepatitis C, are most at risk for developing serious illness from the bacteria. Vibrio vulnificus occurs naturally in the warm waters of the Gulf coast, especially during the summer months, and can cause serious illness.

Other at-risk Floridians are individuals with hemochromatosis, stomach disorders, cancer, diabetes and other immunocompromising illnesses. At-risk individuals are more likely to become ill or die from eating raw oysters with the bacteria. Such individuals can become seriously ill if they have scratches, cuts or wounds and wade in seawater or estuarine areas where the bacteria might be present. Other individuals without the conditions can also become ill, but their illnesses are usually less severe.

Vibrio vulnificus wound infection symptoms include pain, swelling and redness at the wound site. Wound infections and gastrointestinal infections can lead to blistering skin lesions, chills, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea.

The Florida DOH reported several illnesses attributed to Vibrio vulnificus infection this year in Florida. The department recommends thoroughly cooking oysters or consuming raw oysters that went through a post-harvest treatment process to eliminate bacteria. The DOH also recommends avoiding exposure of open wounds to estuarine water and seawater to reduce the chance of infections.


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## mike519 (Jul 26, 2010)

Posted some Photos that very graphic http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee382/519mike/34F3C505-B3D7-4A79-80EB-506204ED3EFA-10525-00000EFE36EEA988.jpg


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## mike519 (Jul 26, 2010)

If you have heard that or good friends from Valdsota have been dumping raw sewage into Withlacoochee River all year.
As of last week they dumped 20 million gallons this year that flows down to the Suwannee River then flows out into the Gulf. 
Vibrio Vulnificus also comes from raw sewage If you want to see a smoking gun do a google search on Raw sewage Valdsota GA


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## noeettica (Sep 23, 2007)

Think this might help ?

http://www.zooscape.com/cgi-bin/maitred/RedSafari/questp410495#MoreInfo


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## MRichardson (May 27, 2010)

If you have a normal immune system it is nothing.
It's everywhere, always has been. You've been exposed countless times if you fish.
It is not an indicator of polluted waters, it's there and unfortunately it's "supposed" to be there.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Growing up if you had a skin ailment like poison ivy, parents took you to the beach to treat it.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

Every year somebody blows this problem way out of proportion. It's usually people who have compromised immune systems or are old that have the problems. In terms of the number of fatalities from vibrio each year compared to the number of people who swim in saltwater in this state it's hardly even worth worrying about. You can take some basic precautions but there's no reason to get crazy about it.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Vibrio may be everywhere and it may be a problem blown out of proportion, and it may be nothing to a healthy individual...but if you get an infected wound and have to have flesh cut away, and then have it cut away again and again because it won't heal, Vibrio won't seem so harmless. Just put betadine or chlorhexidine in your first aid kit and use it when necessary.


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