TAMPA, FLA. (WSVN) - An Ohio man ended up in the hospital after he contracted a deadly flesh-eating bacteria while visiting Florida.
According to WFTS, Barry Briggs visited Florida as part of a boating trip in Tampa with his brother-in-law.
Briggs said his foot started swelling up after the trip, but he was able to fly back home to Ohio before being rushed to the hospital.
While at the hospital, Briggs was diagnosed with narcotizing fasciitis, or a flesh eating infection. Doctors believe the infection was caused by vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium found in saltwater.
Briggs nearly lost his foot to the disease, but luckily, doctors were able to save it.
“Once this thing took off, and it takes off quickly apparently, it was going one inch an hour up my leg,” Briggs said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to have all my toes, to have my foot, to be alive.”
Briggs isn’t the only one to make headlines for contracting a flesh-eating bacteria. Just last week, a Florida fisherman made the news for the very same condition after he nearly lost his hand.
The Centers for Disease Control say there are 700 to 1200 cases like this a year in the United States. However, they believe it is also under-reported.
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