Flesh-eating bacteria left dad with horrific symptoms: ‘It’s the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt’
Florida father infected by bacteria that caused severe blisters on leg
- Ben West, a 38-year-old father from Florida, contracted a flesh-eating bacterium, Vibrio Vulnificus, after fishing in Port St. Joe on August 23.
- The infection caused his leg to swell significantly and develop large, bursting blisters, leading to excruciating pain, as well as kidney and liver failure.
- West has undergone four surgeries to remove infected tissue, with further operations and skin grafts anticipated for his long recovery.
- His fiancée, Janie Knowles, described the rapid progression of the illness, noting he became septic within 24 hours despite being previously healthy.
- West's family is now urging the public to exercise extreme caution in local waterways, highlighting the potentially fatal and swift nature of Vibrio Vulnificus infections.