This article was originally published in The Examiner on October 26, 2017.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
A 31-year-old Galveston man died of flesh-eating bacteria Oct. 16, Galveston County Health District (GCHD) has confirmed. This is the only known case of necrotizing fasciitis in Galveston County related to Hurricane Harvey, officials said.
The Galveston County Health District released a statement reminding people working on Hurricane Harvey recovery projects to “be aware of proper wound care.”
The man went to the hospital Oct. 10 with a seriously infected wound on
his upper left arm, officials said. He was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that kills soft tissue, and later died.
The man had recently worked on repairing several homes damaged by Harvey flood-
ing.
“It’s most likely this person’s infection occurred when bacteria from Harvey debris or
floodwater entered his body through a wound or cut,” Galveston County Local Health Authority Dr. Philip Keiser said.
“This is a very rare infection, but that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking for this person’s family and friends.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with strong immune systems who practice good hygiene and proper wound care have a low chance of getting necrotizing fasciitis.
Most people who get the infection have other health problems that may lower their body’s ability to fight infection, GCHD said. Some of these conditions include diabetes, kidney disease, cancer and other chronic health conditions that weaken the immune system.
Health officials in Galveston County said they want to remind everyone that proper wound care is vital to preventing infections.
Eleanor Skelton 