# Vibrio or bacteria in POC



## Carfish Deer (Dec 17, 2014)

Just wondering if this year there is any vibrio or flesh eating bacteria to worry about in Port O Connor.


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

Carfish Deer said:


> Just wondering if this year there is any vibrio or flesh eating bacteria to worry about in Port O Connor.


Only in the water I'm not trying to be a smart $aa but it has ruined my life I past tense fished mostly trinity bay and all of Galveston area the warnings were not out but I knew being tyoe2 diabetic I was at risk I have been still today fighting my wounds from mycrobarium marinum you don't want to see pics just keep bleach n water on hand 50/50 I dint but did use antibacterial soap my right hand still looks like shark bait 2-1/2 years of misery.


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## Where'dMyBaitGo (Feb 15, 2015)

bubbas kenner said:


> Only in the water I'm not trying to be a smart $aa but it has ruined my life I past tense fished mostly trinity bay and all of Galveston area the warnings were not out but I knew being tyoe2 diabetic I was at risk I have been still today fighting my wounds from mycrobarium marinum you don't want to see pics just keep bleach n water on hand 50/50 I dint but did use antibacterial soap my right hand still looks like shark bait 2-1/2 years of misery.


**** bro, thanks for the warning. Hope you feel better soon.


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## al_carl (Jan 20, 2012)

Any time the water temps get high enough there's a chance for Vibrio. Don't go in the water with any open wounds and you should be OK.

I used to work for a guy that got finned and washed it off in the water. He got infected and very nearly died. They amputated his arm and he was touch and go for quite a while. Amazing guy though, he would do just about anything with one arm that you and I would do with 2. He even outshot me on the CHL course


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## Jonboater (Apr 26, 2010)

al_carl said:


> Any time the water temps get high enough there's a chance for Vibrio. Don't go in the water with any open wounds and you should be OK.
> 
> I used to work for a guy that got finned and washed it off in the water. He got infected and very nearly died. They amputated his arm and he was touch and go for quite a while. Amazing guy though, he would do just about anything with one arm that you and I would do with 2. He even outshot me on the CHL course


Any idea if this guy was diabetic, or had any additional health issues? Liver disease, kidney disease, etc.

It seems like many of the serious infection cases may be related to a known or unknown immunity problem. I feel like it would be way more common if this wasn't the case.


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## al_carl (Jan 20, 2012)

Jonboater said:


> Any idea if this guy was diabetic, or had any additional health issues? Liver disease, kidney disease, etc.
> 
> It seems like many of the serious infection cases may be related to a known or unknown immunity problem. I feel like it would be way more common if this wasn't the case.


Not that I know of. I think there are different strains of the bacteria. This one was vibrio damsela. I'm pretty sure he told me he was the first person to ever live from it. Said that night his finger started turning black as the blood was clotting and you could almost watch it travel up his arm. They were cutting into him and it wouldn't bleed. From the infection to amputation was somewhere between 24-36 hours. Any longer and he wouldn't be here.


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## hockeyref999 (Aug 12, 2005)

As far as I know it is pretty well everywhere around here when the water heats up. Serious business, don't wade with open wounds, and as reported have Clorox/water with you.


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## Koolarrow32 (Aug 1, 2017)

hockeyref999 said:


> As far as I know it is pretty well everywhere around here when the water heats up. Serious business, don't wade with open wounds, and as reported have Clorox/water with you.


I hate to sound stupid but are you washing wounds with the clorox/water mix


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

This is a false sense of security to fight vibrio. Clorox and hibiclens etc will for sure help clean wounds of other bacterias out there.....but will make zero difference for vibrio....if you come in contact with it and it touches your wound...its hospital time if your own body doesnt fight it off....clorox and hibiclens and any other topical wash will not diminish your exposure to vibrio at all....


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## JWS.HOOKEM (Jun 24, 2008)

Last year in July I got "something" in Seadrift. It was during low/no tidal movement. Only time I got in the water was at the ramp. Lots of dead/decaying fish in the water near the cleaning table. Next morning 5am, got up and felt queezy. Went outside, threw up. Back to bed. Woke at 9am. Tried to get up and could not put any weight on my left foot. Called the hospital in Port Lavaca, they said come in. It took a while to close down camp and put the boat in barn, drive in. Made it to the hospital by 11:30. Needed wheelchair to get in. They took me straight to an ER room and after hearing my story, had IV's going before noon. Foot had swollen to 2x normal and hurt like hell. Happened on a Monday. Admitted and had 2 rounds of antibiotics per day and at least a "quart of blood" to test. Wednesday I could put a little weight on it. Thurs blood test came back neg for everything??? Doc called it Celluitas. Said if it was VIB, the quick trip in and immediately starting antibiotics kept it from getting into my blood. The nurse who took care of me said the Port Lavaca ER see's someone EVERYDAY in July and Aug with my symptoms. But they had only confirmed 2 cases of VIB YTD. There was a women in at the same time who worked at a bait camp in POC. She had the same deal as me but in her hand. Said it was from being stuck by shrimp horns. I have no known immunity problems. I had a small wound, looked to b e an ant sting, on a toe. Thats where it hurt the most. 5 days and $16K later I went home. There are days still I can feel my foot get "tight". Be careful out there.


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## TOM WEBER (Aug 14, 2005)

Risk every year when warm on coast. USUALLY people with immune system issues such as diabetes or liver disease. Actually can get it from eating raw oysters if you have significant liver disease. Can however hit healthy people...most often with puncture type wounds but can occur with cuts. Classic symptom is severe pain with a wound that does not look that bad. I carry Chlorhexidine to soak a wound in if someone stuck ..may not be successful at preventing a problem but sure does not hurt. Soaking for 15 or more minutes may help more than just splashing something on wound. Early medical attention is key. If a bad infection, Vibrio has a 100% chance of death if no operation in first 24 hours. Hope this helps. I carry Doxycycline on trips and give it to people with significant cuts.Still not sure why we are seeing this now and not in the 60s and 70s...maybe just not recognized. I cut my feet so often in my teens and twenties on the island...maybe youth is the protection. Don't see it in teenagers and really young people.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

sgrem said:


> This is a false sense of security to fight vibrio. Clorox and hibiclens etc will for sure help clean wounds of other bacterias out there.....but will make zero difference for vibrio....if you come in contact with it and it touches your wound...its hospital time if your own body doesnt fight it off....clorox and hibiclens and any other topical wash will not diminish your exposure to vibrio at all....


Where in the world did you get that from?


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

sgrem said:


> This is a false sense of security to fight vibrio. Clorox and hibiclens etc will for sure help clean wounds of other bacterias out there.....but will make zero difference for vibrio....if you come in contact with it and it touches your wound...its hospital time if your own body doesnt fight it off....clorox and hibiclens and any other topical wash will not diminish your exposure to vibrio at all....


Vibrio is not the only bacteria to worry about mycrobarium marinum is what I contacted and it has ruined over 2-1/2 years of my life 
Not to disagree with you sgrem I respect your opinions I never thought it could happen to me I fished these bays 49 years mostly Galveston n trinity


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

bigfishtx said:


> Where in the world did you get that from?


Call the company that makes Hibiclens and ask them yourself like I did.

What they told me at the time was that they dont know and havent tested how that specific bug (vibrio specifically) reacts to their product. They did stress the time of exposure that you would have to wash immediately due to the fact that vibrio is so fast and aggressive.

So if you are exposed during a wade.....by the time you washed back at the boat it would be too late. Fishing a day and cleaning up later is too late for vibrio. Cut by a fin and wash up a few hours later WILL kill and protect you from a lot of things....but not fast aggressive bacterias like vibrio.

And bubbas kenner i agree. Really hurts me to even think about what you have had to go thru. Clorox and cleaning up is better than nothing to protect against a million other weaker, slower, less aggressive bacteria. Healthy skin is your best bet....any skin cut type exposure and you likely cant get the hibiclens out in time....leave it out on the console i guess.


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## larr (Jun 21, 2016)

*infection*

I don't wade in "still" or brackish water, or back lakes in summer. Never a boat ramp. I don't wade if i have an open cut, and i do keep some bleach/water on the boat. I don't use bait so i don't have to worry about shrimp horns, or getting finned by bait. I don't usually catch any hard heads either on plastic. 
My buddy fell down on some oysters and got a nasty cut and the bleach/water helped him although he screamed like a baby! I myself have not used it but feel certain i would man up and keep it to myself now that i have gave him so much sh&#t.


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