Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Is There Danger Lurking in Ponds

A friend of mine rented his house on the Gulf of Mexico to a Dentist. While fishing in the gulf the dentist got a scratch from some sort of shell fish. Flesh eating bacteria attact the scratch and he was dead in a week or so. I have been told that this bacteria is present in the water all the time. I have found some shellfish in my pond. Has anyone heard of this happening in a pond?

I get to use my microbiology training. The bacteria commonly refered to as the flesh eating bacteria is Streptococcus pyogenes. This is one of the most common human pathogens. In addition to the rare necrotizing fasciitis (flesh eating diease), it more commonly is responsible for strep throat, impetigo, scarlet fever, and cellulitis. The bacteria is predominantly spread from person to person.

The shellfish has nothing to do with the spread of the disease. Cases of necrotizing fasciitis have been documented after broken bones, rug burns, and many other types of scratches. Injuries in water does not appear to play a role either. I know we are all unfortable with these sorts of things but all it takes is a cut and some bad luck. But it is really bad luck! I bieleve fewer than 1000 cases are reported each year and of those about 20% are fatal. To put it in perspective, there are tens of thousands of fatal car accidents each year.

I think the best advice is to use your neosporin and if the a cut ever seems way more painful than it should or it is accompanied with flu like symptoms run to the doctor. Tell him that crazy guy on the internet told you to do it

JayMan, Found this article and it has some other bacteria listed

aFishermen infected with dangerous bacteria
Associated Press

VICTORIA - Two men from Houston have been hospitalized in Victoria after contracting a bacterial infection while wade-fishing in a Port O'Connor bay.

Both men, whose names were not released, had open wounds through which the Vibro vulnificus bacteria entered their bodies while they fished late last week, the Victoria Advocate reported in its Thursday editions. The men had been fishing a few yards apart.

One man was in critical condition and had to have his foot amputated. The other was listed as stable at Citizens Medical Center.

Dr. Dean McDaniel, chief of surgery, described the bacteria as "a very deadly skin infection associated with our warm bays when exposed to an open wound." The infection is not contagious.

McDaniel said the disease is rare and usually can be prevented.

"For the most part, people should be comfortable," he said. "But they should not be entering waters when they have a wound or cut."

Niell Irving, area manager for the state General Land Office, said a meeting is planned Thursday to discuss the case.

"That there are two cases at one time, that's what bothers me," he told the newspaper.

"Every year from Texas to Louisiana to Alabama to Florida to Georgia, any state that has a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico, this happens," said Dr. Brian Burns. "I don't think this should affect anyone's decision whether or not to go into the water in Port O'Connor or Miami or anywhere else. This particular bacteria lives in every temperate body in the world."

Burns, a plastic surgeon who treated the man who lost his foot, said it was rare to have two people infected during the same time.

"I think, in my opinion, it's just a really high statistical coincidence that two people got infected in the same day," he said. "I don't think this is a whole lot different than two people that live in Goliad happen to get snake bit in the same day, in the same zip code."

Hospital spokeswoman Melissa Purl said one man waited a day longer for treatment than the other.

"Both had a lot of swelling on their legs," said Purl. "The difference in 24 hours with this particular bacteria is life-saving. One is in critical and one is in good condition."

s the cause.

Vibro vulnificus is a common water-born bacteria in warmer climates. It is most commonly associated with food poisoning after eating raw clams/oysters. I think it also infects fish (talapia in particular?)

Just about any bacteria can cause life threatening septicemia (bacteria in the blood) given the right circumstances. I can say that here in the north, this was not even covered in textbooks so I don't think it is quite as common as the article lets on. Maybe I will do a little research. I just love reading bach issues of "Morbidity and Mmortality Weekly Review"

We have had a few cases of vibro here. It seems to mostly happen in saltwater here, normally someone will cut there self while fishing and get there hands wet and thats when they get infected.Its pretty nasty stuff.

Any little scratch can turn bad on you at any time. All it takes is a little glitch of some sort to cause the pathogen to get the upper hand on the immune system. It's so rare that we shouldn't worry about it. If we worry about every little scratch, we are prisoners to our own fear. The ticket is fast reaction if there's unusual tenderness, redness, or swelling in the wound. That's when you should start worrying, and get it looked at immediately.

Just to get a different perspective on Vibro vulnificus, those who have had serious problems with it either have a damaged immune system (cancer treatment, certain leukemias, being my age or older, etc.), liver disease, or a few other mostly uncommon conditiions. Most young, healthy people can handle it without even knowing they were even exposed.

On the other hand, eating raw oysters, even if you are healthy, is begging for other trouble. I have had hepatitis A and really serious gastroenteritis at different times of my life from eating those delicious nuggets. After I learned a few things about what drifts down onto the oyster beds from the through-hull fittings on oyster boats, I eat only steamed, fried, etc. oysters and refuse to think about it.
Lou