Does Flesh Eating Bacteria Exist in Abilene? WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

After hearing about the 24 year old Georgia college student that contracted the deadly flesh eating bacteria that’s threatening her life, I began to research to see if that could possibly happen here in Abilene. The answer will shock you.

According to Yamini Kalla, an infectious disease doctor at Hendrick Medical Center, the bacteria is just about everywhere, but mostly it’s found around water. Like rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, tanks and dirty pools.

“Don’t try and treat it yourself. Get professional help from an infectious disease doctor, if you are a diabetic, have had dialysis, been on chronic steroids, liver problems or chemotherapy stay away from unclean sources of water, especially if you have an open sore. It’s more common in people with diabetes, who often go to a lake for swimming and maybe develop a minor scrape or cut on a foot and think nothing of it, only to get it infected with the flesh eating bacteria”.

Source: Abilene Infectious Disease Yamini Kalla M.D.

The big surprise was, she treat’s approximately one to two patients every year for the very flesh eating bacteria called ‘Necrotizing Fasciitis‘ right here in Abilene. While the flesh eating bacteria eats mainly at the flesh it can also devour muscle tissue and cause major problems. I’ll have to caution you, the video is pretty graphic. So if you have a weak stomach, viewer beware.

Will this change your plans for the summer? Will you be as likely to go swimming in the lake or ocean now?