A sufferer of the lethal flesh-eating micro organism that’s surging in southern US states is sharing the harrowing particulars of his ordeal — in addition to some stomach-churning images.
Officers alongside the Gulf Coast in Florida and Louisiana are warning a few rise in instances of Vibrio vulnificus, the deadliest species of Vibrio micro organism, which might trigger extreme and life-threatening infections ensuing.
At the least 28 instances have been reported this 12 months — however in 2025, Ben West was amongst these contaminated. A 38-year-old dad, he’s now awaiting amputation of his left leg after he says docs already “reduce the meat, reduce the tissue” of his leg to attempt to protect it.
West was fishing in Port St. Joe, Florida in late August 2025, and knew sufficient concerning the dangers to put on tall boots — however that finally wasn’t sufficient to guard him. The truth is, these boots rubbed a uncooked spot round his ankle, he informed NewsNation. That’s the place the micro organism took maintain.
“Benjamin started complaining of great burning in his foot and ankle and it started to swell terribly,” his spouse Janie West wrote on GoFundMe, the place she has additionally shared a number of images of his leg all through the sickness. “It was the worst ache he’s ever felt and he stored telling me his leg felt to be on fireplace.”
He underwent six surgical procedures in makes an attempt to avoid wasting his leg.
“They go in with a laser, they usually reduce the meat, reduce the tissue out to attempt to get forward of the micro organism as a result of there’s nothing to cease,” he mentioned.
After some enchancment, although, the injuries had been reopening and leaving “holes” up and down the contaminated space.
His leg swelled to as much as eight time the scale of the suitable one, and he complained of fixed burning and aching. His spouse mentioned it felt like “electrical shocks” all through the day.
West lastly determined to get the leg amputated under the knee, which his spouse mentioned will occur this week.
What’s Vibrio vulnificus?
This micro organism thrives in coastal waters and may enter the physique via an open wound, which is what occurred to West. However most individuals get it by consuming uncooked shellfish, significantly oysters, in keeping with the CDC.
Florida has traditionally had probably the most instances of Vibrio vulnificus within the nation. This 12 months, 14 individuals within the state had been contaminated, and two individuals died. Final 12 months, it killed 5.
An an infection may cause the flesh across the wound to die (known as necrotizing fasciitis), giving the micro organism its “flesh-eating” status.
It shortly turns into deadly if it enters the blood stream, the place it could actually trigger pores and skin lesions, fever, chills, and dangerously low blood strain.
The micro organism multiply in salt and brackish water (the place salt and recent water meet) throughout the hotter months.
Ben West’s story
West went to the hospital two days after that fateful fishing journey, however he was misdiagnosed with cellulitis. He was prescribed antibiotics for cellulitis — however not those wanted to deal with his Vibrio an infection.
By the subsequent day, he’d declined “extraordinarily quick,” his spouse wrote. He was “at demise’s doorstep,” placed on a ventilator, and went via three surgical procedures over the subsequent few days to attempt to take away the contaminated tissue.
Docs mentioned issues had been going properly. By September 2025, they informed West they wouldn’t should amputate. They moved ahead with pores and skin grafts to cowl the misplaced flesh.
“Ben has over 300+ staples together with stitches holding the pores and skin graft in place,” his spouse wrote.
Over the subsequent few months, West went via extra surgical procedures to take away all of the fluid that collected, bodily remedy, and numerous painful wound dressings to heal his leg.
After ten months, West began to really feel like he was at a “standstill” with therapeutic.
“He mentioned the ache he suffers from day-to-day right here lately will not be even similar to the ache to start with — it’s worse,” Janie West wrote.
“From the footwear, the ache, to the scale, odor, and docs’ visits, to purchasing and altering bandages, it has all the time taken over an hour in all to unwrap, clear the leg then rewrap it, each single day.”
He determined to seek the advice of with a surgeon to take away the leg from the knee down. In the meantime, wounds that had been beforehand closed had been opening and “holes” had been showing alongside his leg.
As of the final replace, they deliberate to do the amputation this week.
“He’s so able to be out of a lot ache,” she wrote. “He’s feels his high quality of life will completely enhance as soon as he turns into fully cell once more! However for now we’re simply taking this daily.”
Keep away from Vibrio by cooking all shellfish and being cautious round shells and washing your arms after dealing with them. Keep out of the seawater or brackish water, particularly when you’ve got any damaged pores and skin or cuts. For those who get within the water with a wound, wash it instantly.
