Man recovers from flesh-eating infection after Spring Break swim in a Florida river

A man has made a full recovery months after being infected by a flesh-eating bacteria during a Spring Break trip to Florida, according to a news report.

Daniel Lively told Orlando’s WFTV that he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and potentially fatal skin infection, after scraping his calf with a nail on the dock of the St. John’s River last March.

“I didn’t really think much of it,” Lively told the news station. But after returning home from vacation, he felt weak and exhausted. Four hours later, he began feeling flu-like symptoms, including vomiting and fever.

He was hospitalized for 11 days and underwent three surgeries.

Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by group A Streptococcus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Life-threatening bacteria can be found in most bodies of water, including oceans, rivers and freshwater lakes. They generally enter the body through an open wound like a scrape or a cut. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been about 700 to 1,200 cases of this bacteria every year since 2010, though the figures are likely under-reported.

Lively’s case comes amid other recent reports of Floridians who contracted flesh-eating illnesses. In one case, a Florida man said he was infected by Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria that is generally found in raw shellfish and some bodies of water. This summer, at least two more people have contracted the bacteria in the Florida Gulf coast; one of them died. Experts believe warming waters due to climate change could create an environment for similar bacteria to thrive.

The CDC recommends good wound care to prevent skin infections and wearing water shoes to avoid scrapes and cuts.

This story was originally published August 4, 2019 at 9:02 PM.