Florida man contracts flesh-eating infection from bite from relative
A Florida man nearly lost his leg when he contracted a nasty flesh-eating bacterial infection — after being bitten by a family member during a fight.
Donnie Adams, ওof Tampa Ba𓃲y, developed a small, painful bump after a relative sunk their teeth into his right thigh as he attempted to break up a tussle at a family gathering in February.
Assuming it was just a harmless lesion, he t💯ook himself to get a tetanus shot an𒈔d a course of antibiotics, .
How♋🍬ever, three days later, Adams could barely walk.
The 52-year-old returned to Florida Northside Hꦬospital in St. Petersburg 𒁏and was immediately rushed into emergency surgery.
“I would’ve never imaꦯgined that a human bite would turn into somethin🤡g so horrific as a flesh-eating bacteria,” Adams told WFLA.
When wound care specialist, Fritz Br🌳ink, made h💞is first incision, a gray ooze leaked from Adams’ leg.
Each additional cut revealed bright red, rotting flesh from his kn💜ee to his groin, Brink told The Tampa Bay Times.
About 70% of the tissue in Adams’ thigh had to be removed.
He then required follow-up surgery to reꦏmove the remaining infected flesh.
The flesh-eating ♒bacteria, known as necrotizing fasciitis, kills tissue surrounding muscles and nerv🍸es.
While common among swimmers in tropical climates, doctors had never seen a case in which they were sure came from an🧜other human’s mouth.
Brink told The Tampa Bay Times that while it’s a unique transmission of the deadly germ, human mouths are a perfect climate for bacteria to thrive.
“A human bite is dirtier than a dog bite as far as the kinds of bacteria that grow,” th♉e wound care specialist said. “Norma𒉰l bacteria in an abnormal spot can be a real problem.”
If Adams had put off going back to the hospital for another day, Brink said the infection likely would have spread to his abdomen, putting him in danger of septic shock — which can be deadly.
Adams lost his own brother to septic shock, .
“If I would’ve waited and waited until the next day after our second visit, therඣe was a chance I would’ve lost my leg,” Adams told the outlet.
After spending three weeks recovering from surgery at the hospital, Adams had to🐠 undergo six months of additional treatment for the serious wound, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Even still, Brink told the paper Adams’ positive attitude and strict adherence to a diet plan halved his anticipated recovery time.
He learned how to treat his wounds himself, and Brink continued treat to Adams even after his in😼surance stopped covering treatment.
Adams, who works at a funeral home, attriꦇbutes his healing to prayer and meditatio๊n.
He has🐷 since buried the hatchet with his relatives.
“The parties involved are🧸 ve𒊎ry sorrowful,” he said.
Still, Adams’ leg is heavily scarred and he suffers occasional pain — but he is grateful for the doctors that saved his leg.
