Flesh-eating bacteria puts Houston man in hospital Man became infected after trip to beach in Galveston

Brian Parrott, 50, of Jacinto City was being treated for a possible Vibrio infection at LBJ Hospital in Houston on June 21, 2016. The infection comes from a "flesh-eating" bacteria that can come from swimming with open wounds in saltwater or brackish water. less Brian Parrott, 50, of Jacinto City was being treated for a possible Vibrio infection at LBJ Hospital in Houston on June 21, 2016. The infection comes from a "flesh-eating" bacteria that can come from swimming ... more Photo: Norm Gomlak, Brian Parrott Family Photo: Norm Gomlak, Brian Parrott Family Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Flesh-eating bacteria puts Houston man in hospital 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

GALVESTON — A Jacinto City man is fighting for his life in a Houston hospital after developing an infection from "flesh-eating" bacteria during a beach trip earlier this month.

Brian Parrott, 50, became sick after swimming in the water during a trip with his son's family to the beach in Galveston on June 12.

After Parrott became increasingly ill over the ensuing days, he was transported by ambulance on Thursday to LBJ Hospital, where doctors amputated his right leg beneath the knee. Now Parrott is struggling to survive a little-known bacterial infection called Vibrio that is rarely fatal, but that can prove deadly under the right circumstances.

"It's just terrible," said his mother, Donna Dailey, by phone on Tuesday.

For Parrott, the nightmare began shortly after his family arrived in Galveston.

"He was sitting at the side of the beach for quite awhile with his granddaughter, then he went into the water for a couple of hours," Dailey said.

Parrott didn't realize the risks to his health, his mother said.

He is diabetic, a condition that weakens the immune system and made him susceptible to Vibrio, a bacteria that lurks in all saltwater and brackish water. He also didn't know that anyone with a cut or open wound should either avoid saltwater bathing or wear a waterproof bandage, and that warm weather increases the risk of infection.

The day after his trip to the beach, Parrott's leg turned red, Dailey said. He attributed the redness to the heat and ignored it. On Tuesday, he became nauseous. By Wednesday, blisters covered his leg and his family was urging him to see a doctor.

Parrott was sure he could tough it out and refused. "Thursday we called an ambulance and took him to the hospital," Dailey said.

The doctors at LBJ Hospital quickly realized the severity of Parrott's infection, amputating his leg below the knee at about 4 p.m. that day. "They didn't know if they would be able to save his life," Dailey said.

As of Tuesday, doctors were uncertain whether they would have to remove more of his leg, or even whether he would survive.

The agony at one point made Parrott despondent, Dailey said. "Yesterday morning was horrible," she said, referring to Monday. "He was saying he didn't know if he could take it any more. Today he seems better."

Dailey said doctors told her that her son was afflicted by a "flesh-eating" bacteria, but never told her the name of the bacteria.

Diana Martinez, epidemiology program manage for Harris County Public Health, said that her office had opened an investigation into a reported case of Vibrio. Martinez said she was prevented by privacy and legal considerations from confirming that the victim was Parrott, but said that it involved a middle-aged man who was exposed to saltwater.

The case is the second this year reported to Harris County. One case has been reported this year to the Houston Health Department and two cases to the Galveston County Health District.

Vibrio, which has been dubbed "flesh eating" by news outlets, is rarely fatal. Nationwide there are about 80,000 infections annually and 100 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The total number of cases reported to Galveston and Harris counties and the city of Houston were 20 in 2015, 27 in 2014 and 28 in 2013. Most reported cases stem from eating raw shellfish, said Scott Packard, a spokesman for the Galveston County Health District.

When ingested, Vibrio can cause watery diarrhea, often accompanied by abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Symptoms usually occur within 24 hours and last about three days. Severe illness is rare and typically occurs in people with a weakened immune system.

Packard said that anyone whose open wound becomes sore after swimming in saltwater or brackish water should immediately consult a doctor.

"Vibriosis is treatable," Packard said. "If you don't have open cuts or sores, it's unlikely you will be infected."

Martinez said that doctors and scientist never use the term "flesh eating." She said she first heard the term used in the mid-1990s when the media applied it to a sensational case in Great Britain caused by Necrotizing Fasciitis, a bacterial infection that is not associated with saltwater contact.

Martinez does not recall hearing the term applied to Vibrio until the middle of the last decade. "It's not a medical term," she said. "I don't know how it came to be but I've seen it used historically."

Even before his illness, it had been a difficult year for Parrott.

He had only recently landed a job in security for a trucking company after being laid off just before Christmas. He lost his health insurance when he was laid off, his mom said, and his new job has none.

Just as Parrott lost his leg, his wife, Elida, learned that her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer.

Dailey is worried about what will happen to her son and his family now that he is unable to work and will face medical expenses that he can't pay. "I don't know how he is going to do it," Dailey said.

Parrott and his wife have two sons, ages 26 and 17, and a daughter, 24.

Relatives have started a page to raise money at www.gofundme.com/2ags378. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday there were $85 in contributions.