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Bacteria Death Confirmed In Escambia County
August 2, 2015
State health officials have confirmed a death in Escambia County due to the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. That brings to the total deaths in Florida to 10 this year, with a total of 19 cases.
Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that normally lives in warm, brackish seawater. Since it is naturally found in warm marine waters, people with open wounds can be exposed through direct contact with seawater and can cause disease in those who eat raw shellfish, according to the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County.
Symptoms of vibrio vulnificus can include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Wound infection can lead to skin breakdown and blistering. In persons who have weakened immune systems, particularly those with chronic liver disease, vibrio vulnificus can invade the bloodstream, causing a severe and life-threatening illness with symptoms like fever, chills, decreased blood pressure (septic shock) and blistering skin lesions. Individuals experiencing these symptoms should contact a physician immediately for diagnosis and treatment. Individuals with wound infections should also seek care promptly.
Last year, 32 cases were confirmed with seven deaths across the state.
Tips to stay healthy and safe
Thoroughly cook oysters, either by frying, stewing, or roasting to eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses in the meat. Consuming raw oysters that have undergone a post-harvest treatment process to eliminate the bacteria can also reduce the risk of illness. Avoiding exposure of open wounds to seawater and estuarine water reduces the risk of wound infections.
For more information, please contact the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County at (850) 595-6683 or visit www.EscambiaHealth.com.
Comments
17 Responses to “Bacteria Death Confirmed In Escambia County”
Man, can’t even go in the water anymore, jeez!
Makes ya think about buying a Gumby suit before even getting on a boat. Even that would not save ya if ya had a cut on your face, or a bad tooth & swallowed some of the water you were in.
In regards to the utilities in tgecarea if Innerarity, ECUA was wanting the system to be brought up to standard before they assumed all the costs of running the system. It sounded like the development company that owned the utility was keeping rates super cheap but also never doing needed upgrades. When the owner passed away, the heirs did not want to deal with the utility so they notified the county of their intent to abandon it (required by statute, I believe.)
People from ECUA had warned a couple commissioners about this impending issue before the utility was abandoned but one former commissioner seemed more intent on taking over ECUA and other smaller water systems (this was revealed in emails from public records requests) than working together with ECUA.
Gulf Breeze said that they would help run it until the county could get things in order.
Politically, with a new administrator and a new district 2 Commissioner, the county and ECUA seem to be working more in cooperation. Grants were applied for from RESTORE money and an MSBU can be set up to assess the residents for some of the needed upgrade costs to their system, so ECUA customers elsewhere won’t have to pay all the costs.
But I don’t think there is any open sewer flowing there.
If you Google this bacteria name, it is a problem across several Gulf Coast states were the water is warm.
It is very concerning and there needs to be more health warnings so people know the risks involved.
@Bob:
ECUA and the County are working well together these days to get the Innerarity Island sytem brought into the ECUA fold. We are taking a no-drama approach to it this time, so we aren’t making headlines, just progress.
There is no waste going into the water at Innerarity. Fecal Coliform consistently tests low in the area. Vibrio is naturally occuring with no science indicating higher concentrations in poluted areas, even if Innerarity were poluted, which it isn’t. How can I be so sure? I live just down the ICW from Innerarity and my children and I swim it almost daily.
@ Molino Jim…..Thank you for the info.
I seem to recall some problem on Innerarity Point with a private provider for sewage services going out of business and the ECUA not wanting to step up and provide water and sewer services out there.
Has this been resolved?
Could it be part of the problem?
Realize the warm water and bacteria can be everywhere but maybe more intense where there might be sewage in the waterways.
Rip Tony….save a dance for me. My husband isn’t a dancer, but you always took me for a spin a few times at Mustangs. Tony was one of the most likeable people you could ever meet. My heart hurts that he has passed.
@ Bob C. At this time of the year with the warm water and so on it can be any where. Two years ago a fellow had been cutting brush over in Ala. and decided to cool off with a swim in the bay. The best guess was that the small cuts or scratches he had was the contact point and he also died.
I know the victim’s family. He contracted it through a small cut. He was wading in Innerarity Point. Very sad.
Tony was an awesome man !! I will never forget all the fun times we had growing up ! Prayers for Luanne , Tammi , Terri , and the whole family ! I love you all and wish I was there with you now. R I P TONY !
If it’s who I’m thinking, the man was fishing. Not consuming raw food. It was very sad for his family and friends and my children to accept. He was a avid hunter, fisherman. Missed by all who knew him. Yes if they are gonna tell a story please give the facts. He got the infection from the water.
If they are talking about the one that i know about…..he was mullet fishing last weekend out at Innerarity Point.
Around 1999, my neighbors adult son ( had compromised liver- hepatitis or ETOH, or both- can’t remember) ate oysters and by the next day- less than 12 hours later, he had passed away at Baptist. I would definitely think twice before eating ANY oysters if I were an alcoholic or, had hepatitis…
He was mullet fishing in Perdido bay last Friday 9 days ago,was in the er Saturday morning died 6 days later. It started from a minor scratch on his foot. RIP Tony Langford
Sad that someone died from this disease.
PUBLIC SERVICE could be done by telling us WHERE the person contracted the disease.
Please provide more information…..for Dept of Health to keep this part silent is to cause others to be unaware.
The person was wading in the water mullet fishing
>>Just Curious; How did this patient contract this disease?
The health depth has not released that information.
Sounds like some bad stuff. Thanks for keeping us all informed about this.
Just Curious; How did this patient contract this disease? From Oysters? From Swimming? Where were they swimming? My old grandma knew to not eat oysters in any month that didn’t have a R in it.