Family’s Ordeal with Flesh-Eating Bacteria
The family of a Florida man is confronting a devastating health crisis after he contracted a severe infection caused by flesh-eating bacteria. Ben West, 38, was diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus following a crabbing and mullet fishing trip on August 23 in Port St. Joe, located in the Florida panhandle.
With cases rising across the nation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that approximately 20% of those infected could face fatal outcomes.
Symptoms and Medical Response
Days after his fishing excursion, West experienced alarming symptoms, including intense swelling and a burning sensation in his foot and ankle. His fiancée, Jamie Knowles, described the pain as feeling like his leg was on fire, prompting an urgent hospital visit on August 25.
Initially diagnosed with cellulitis, West was prescribed antibiotics, which exacerbated his condition, leading to severe blisters and critically low blood pressure. “There were blisters everywhere; they were busting, it was swelling, you couldn’t recognize his leg compared to the other one, it was actually four times bigger than the other one,” Knowles recounted to WJHG.
All tissue in West’s left leg was reportedly affected, resembling a third-degree burn, while his liver and kidneys began to fail due to the infection.
Severe Complications
Vibrio vulnificus is notorious for causing necrotizing fasciitis, a condition where skin tissue rapidly deteriorates, often necessitating surgery to remove dead skin or even amputation to save the patient’s life. Keith West, Ben’s father, expressed the emotional toll of the experience: “The hardest part so far is watching him be in that bed, helpless. Not knowing if he’s gonna live or die.”
So far, Ben has undergone two surgeries to drain fluid from his leg, with three additional procedures anticipated. In an update on August 29, Knowles shared that doctors were optimistic after the third surgery that they had halted the bacteria’s spread. They noted that if the infection had advanced to his muscles or higher up his leg, the situation could have been fatal.
Future Concerns and Community Support
West’s medical team is now focused on repairing the damage caused by the bacteria, and skin grafts may be a possibility in the future. He is scheduled for a fourth surgery to drain more fluid from his leg.
To help with escalating medical expenses, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised nearly $16,000 of their $20,000 goal. Knowles has been using the platform to share updates on West’s progress, emphasizing the alarming nature of the infection. “This is a nasty nasty bacteria that’s taking people’s lives & if not their lives, their limbs…it is NOT worth it I promise & IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU,” she warned in the campaign description, highlighting that her fiancé, a generally healthy 38-year-old, became septic in less than 24 hours.
A Message of Caution
The family’s ordeal has been buoyed by their faith during this challenging time. “It’s been very difficult, and the fact that God is in control and so many people are praying… has been a comfort to me,” Keith West said. With both Ben and Jamie emphasizing the risks, they urge fellow Floridians to avoid swimming in the contaminated waters of Port St. Joe.
As Vibrio vulnificus is more prevalent in coastal waters, particularly from May through October, most infections arise from consuming raw or undercooked shellfish and can also occur through exposure when open wounds come into contact with contaminated water.
