Texas teacher who contracted flesh-eating bacteria an avid fisherman

Brad Guion contracted Vibrio while fishing. He is currently in critical condition. Brad Guion contracted Vibrio while fishing. He is currently in critical condition. Photo: Facebook/ Photo: Facebook/ Image 1 of / 51 Caption Close Texas teacher who contracted flesh-eating bacteria an avid fisherman 1 / 51 Back to Gallery

An 8th grade science teacher has contracted a flesh-eating bacteria after fishing in South Texas waters earlier this summer.

Brad Guion of Ingleside went into the ER on June 24 and has since been receiving medical attention for Vibrio, a bacterial infection, at UTMB in Galveston, his brother-in-law Constable Rowdy Hayden of Montgomery County said.

Guion, who is in his late 50s, has undergone surgery almost every other day and doctors have him on a treatment plan, Hayden told mySA.com.

He said Guion is an avid fisherman and has fished almost daily since school let out for the summer. Upon being hospitalized, Hayden said his brother-in-law had been wade fishing near Rockport, north of Corpus Christi.

Doctors are unsure of the exact cause but it is believed that Guion contracted the bacteria from the bay water, Hayden said.

A spokesperson for UTMB told mySA.com that Guion is in "fair" condition as of Tuesday but could give no other information.

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The bacteria, Vibrio, lives in warm, coastal salt water and is responsible for 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the U.S. each year.

In 2016, a total of 101 Vibrio infections were reported in Texas, an officer for Texas Health and Human Services told mySA.com

HHS said that 59 cases of Vibrio have been reported this year statewide with 28 percent occurring from water exposure, 23 percent occurring from shellfish exposure and 49 percent occurring from unknown exposure.

The Center for the Disease Control and Prevention reports that most Vibrio infections are between May and October when water temperatures are much warmer. The bacteria is contracted upon consuming raw or undercooked seafood, such as oysters, and exposing a wound to seawater.

People with weakened immune systems, liver disease or cancer among other factors are at a higher risk for getting sick from Vibrio, according to the CDC.

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The CDC advises those at a higher risk to wear protective clothing and shoes in brackish or salt water and gloves when handling raw seafood.

To see the most the most recent fecal bacteria levels at Texas Gulf beaches, click through the slideshow above.

An early version of this story included an incorrect report of the percentage of exposures to Vibrio.

jthorpe@express-news.net

@jerilynnthorpe