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Flesh eating bacteria consumes cruise passenger in 24 hours
Have you had your breakfast/lunch/dinner yet? Because this story is bound to upset your stomach.While on a Mediterranean cruise, 58 year old Raymond Evans hurt his knee during a fall. The injury was nothing serious, but the ships doctor put Mr. Evans on an antibiotic regimen, just to be safe.
Despite the shots, his widow said his condition started to deteriorate, and that the back of his knee was turning black. This developed into a "blotchy blackness" that spread to his chest, elbow and fingers, and he was admitted into the ships hospital.
When the ship docked in Alexandria, Egypt, Mr.Evans was transported to the intensive care unit of the city's hospital where he died hours later. The total time from noticing the blackness on his knee till death was just 24 hours.
A pathologist told the official inquiry that Mr.Evans had been infected by the flesh-eating bug necrotising fasciitis (warning: graphic images on that page!).
The pathologist concluded that Mr.Evans had not caught the bug during his fall, because the symptoms of the flesh eating bug usually start hours after being infected, so the most probable source was something on the cruise ship that entered through his wounds.
This is of course just another example of the health risks involved with cruise ships. For years, cruise lines have struggled with the norovirus as we previously covered here, here and here. Still, common sense and basic hygiene precautions should help keep you perfectly safe when you get on board.
The cruise ship photo above is for illustrative purposes only - that is not necessarily the ship involved in this incident.
Gallery: More horrible travel accidents from around the globe
Filed under: Europe, News, Travel Health, Cruises
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 5)
Max May 8th 2009 12:58AM
MRSA is not the flesh eating bacterium of this article. Therefore that treatment would be mute.
Max May 8th 2009 12:48AM
The writer of the article should verify his/her facts more closely before posting an article that will be read by thousands of people. As a microbiologist (one that studies germs), I noticed a great problem with this article-it was simply an unfortunate infection that is completely NOT A RISK OF CRUISE SHIPS. Mr. Evans may have contracted the infection on the ship but it is an individual case that does not mean cruises are a health risk. While norovirus outbreaks have often been documented on cruise ships, they too are a common outcome of eating some sea food. The claim that cruises are risky because of an isolated incident of flesh eating bacteria is completely absurd.
Linda Linda May 14th 2009 1:08AM
A couple years ago here in Honolulu, a young man, successful real estate, was partying on a boat at the Ala Wai harbor, got into a scuffle with a fellow partier, fell in the water. When he went to the hospital to treat his wounds, he failed to mention to the hospital that he fell in the Ala Wai which after so much rain had stirred up dirty water. Within hours he was back in the hospital, the news reported they'd have to amputate a leg because of flesh eating bacteria. Not long later they reported that they'd have to amputate both his legs and then both his arms ... he lasted long enough for his Mother who flew in from Florida and passed not long after her arrival. If I remember correctly she opted to have the plug pulled because there was no hope for him. God Bless his soul - who would think that a slip and fall in the water could kill you, let alone in such a horrible way. Whenever I pass the Tradewinds in Waikiki I think of that young man and say a little prayer. God Bless this man on the cruise ship - this bacteria is horrible.
James May 8th 2009 2:00AM
Anyone infected with any type of mico-organism should treat it with colloidal sillver, or mild silver protein. It kills virtually every type of bacteria or virus, is fairly cheap, and micro-organisms cannot develop a tolerance to it. I used it when I was infected with a strain of staphylococcus that was resistant to every known antibiotic. Within a few hour of use I felt better, and within a few weeks I was completely cured. This is not BS.....I was just as skeptical as you are now, but a hairy legged tree hugging hippy chick I know turned me on to this and believe me, it works.
alohaaa May 8th 2009 2:54AM
this is weird.
a teacher at my school passed away on friday by this bacteria. how ironic....
Mary Axtell May 8th 2009 3:22AM
I have had MRSA and Necrotising Fascitis, in 1991 when nothing much had been heard of it. It was in my spine. Then in 2004 in my leg, I nearly lost my leg. Now I get skin infections all the time. I am trying to get Medicare to provide me with a Therapy Pool, as I need water therapy, my legs are unable to move much, due to a collapsed spine, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. I have a Colostomy bag, so using public physical therapy pools is not an option due to contamination. Medicare just dismissed my application, they don't care, they told me to use public services. That is the Governments way of handling things, get rid of what the lay person needs. As long as Congress can steal cheat etc. Medicare does cover Penile gadgets for mens pleasure, and Whirlpool tubs, Wheelchairs, canes, etc as Durable Medical Equipment, but can't help me, with the only thing that can help my pain control, and joints, muscles etc stay healthy and alive. I wish people would realise what we are up against. Government say they care for different healthcare, but it sure as heck doesn't show here.
Trish May 8th 2009 4:27AM
I have been a wound specialist for 17 years. The necrotizing fasciitis you are describing is most likely due to methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA). MRSA is more and more common in the community in general, not just on cruise ships. This resistant organism has developed as a result of overutilization of antibiotics. It does indeed enter through breaks in the skin and can spread rapidly. A simple solution of 1 quart of water with 1 tablespoon of household bleach in it will effectively kill MRSA and any other bacteria, virsues, mold, or fungus, within 30 seconds of application. Apply a gauze pad wet with this solution daily until healed. Avoid letting it dry out. Protect the skin surrounding the wound from too much moisture with petrolatum if needed. Make fresh solution every 4 days and protect it from light.
Hope this helps save somebody from needless suffering.
Bona May 8th 2009 6:09PM
I just returned from a cruise off S. America, Central America and Mexico. It seemed every door you used had those dispensers for cleaning your hands and if one was not available, they had a staff person spraying your hands. Swine flu broke out in Mexico while we were there. Nobody got ill. My husband is immunosuppressed due to his post-heart transplant treatments, and the first thing I did when I returned from the cruise was to take a thorough shower and clean all my clothing, including my shoes.
I will happily cruise NCL again.
Mark May 9th 2009 9:32PM
My dog had NF and it had a terrible smell. Our Vet had her on Chloramphenicol 500mg, three times a day, which is so strong a drug that we were not supposed to handle it. It worked at first then stopped working. Then I found research about bacteriophages used in Russia. Seems they just filter water taken from ponds. Well I took some water from neighborhood gutters that had grass clippings mixed in. I rubbed it all over her body and hdd her drink some also. Two days later the infection was GONE! Our vet was amazed. Google bacteriophages and Russia. There was a doctor that used it on a patient here and healed him also.