Health experts warn of bacteria in ocean water that can enter through open wounds
Beaufort, S.C. (WSAV) – Many fishermen in the Lowcountry spend a lot of their time throwing out lines while wading through the marshes – but healthcare professionals are warning folks about a serious bacteria that's in the waters – and it may be deadly. One of those fishermen is Frank Gardner, a Beaufort resident. He came home after doing his normal fishing routine but was admitted to the hospital less than 24 hours later. He had contracted Burkholderia Cepacia, or BCC, a bacteria that is found commonly lurking in soil and water. "I've been doing it all my life. I'm 78 years old. I've been doing it for 70 years and I've never experienced anything like this before," says Gardner. He contracted BCC after his waders had rubbed a blister on his leg – allowing the bacteria to enter through his skin. Gardner says, "I knew that I had something wrong. I woke up on Monday about midnight, and I could tell that my A-FIB was going crazy... And I felt a burning sensation down there that I had never felt before." Medical director of Hilton Head Hospital, Dr. Dan Kazmierski says people who contract could be at severe risk. "It's a rare but very dangerous type of bacteria that can affect a number of different organs in the body. Most notably, it affects skin. So, it makes its way through the skin, particularly in the open wounds and it can cause skin diseases like cellulitis and infections of the lower areas of the skin."
Dr. Kazmierski says they commonly see the infections in patients who have been in the hospital for a couple of days who have been exposed to some of the dangerous bacteria seen in the hospital. But he says, "Most commonly, it's on the outside and water-borne areas. So, whether it's a freshwater setting or more specifically saltwater settings, fishermen can be exposed to it." Dr. Kazmierski says, Gardner is lucky to have recovered, especially with the bacteria's resistance to some antibiotics. "This bacteria can have a very high mortality rate. It can have a mortality rate of as high as 95% without treatment," says Kazmierski. "But there are antibiotics that can treat this in the hospital, and particularly I.V. antibiotics to help eradicate this."
Dr. Kazmierski says that Burkholderia is not the only water-borne bacteria that Lowcountry residents should be thinking about. "There are a number of different other bacteria that can penetrate the skin and cause all sorts of skin diseases. And the risk for that is not just diseases of the skin such as cellulitis or osteomyelitis, but it can also penetrate the bloodstream and cause much more severe infections. Dr. Kazmierski says the way to avoid contracting an infection is to cover your wounds. "Any sort of wounds that they're worried about, particularly in areas that are going to be in contact with the water, that they are covered in a waterproof sort of bandage to keep that area protected and protective equipment to keep their extremities protected from this." And even going through the experience himself, when Gardner was asked If he was nervous about getting back to fishing in the waters – "I'm going to get over that. I haven't been back out there since. I've just got to be a little more careful. It's a lot of fun, but it's not worth dying for, so I feel really lucky."
