Flesh-eating bug killed cruise ship passenger in hours

[mercedes]

The British media today is abuzz over the story of a cruise ship passenger killed by so-called flesh-eating bacteria.

The BBC says 58-year-old Raymond Evans died within hours of showing symptoms of the disease, necrotising fasciitis, while on an unnamed cruise ship in the Mediterranean two months ago.

The news outlet says the passenger's widow testified this week in an inquest into the death that Evans had injured his knee when it gave out during a walk in a port. The ship's doctor, who examined the injury after the couple returned onboard, prescribed him antibiotics, but despite the treatment the knee continued to deteriorate and eventually was consumed by a "blotchy blackness" that spread to his chest, elbow and fingers.

The BBC says Evans was admitted to the ship's in-house hospital and, upon arrival in Alexandria, Egypt, rushed to a hospital on land. But he died within hours from multiple organ failure.

A pathologist at the inquest suggested Evans could have picked up the bacteria on the ship. "It could not have been anything to do with his initial knee injury because this progresses within hours," the pathologist said.

[JoeyandDavid]

That is so freaking scary...

[mercedes]

Joey, it is.

[JoeyandDavid]

makes you wonder why if in fact he picked it up on board.. who...how..when.. come to mind

[jacketwatch]

Very scary stuff. In the article below you can see who may be predisposed to this though it says anyone can get it. As the onset to death was so short I wonder if he had any predisposing conditions that left him especially vulnerable. It also says if treated quickly it can be a success.

http://www.nnff.org/nnff_higherrisk.htm

[sailingrose]

Wow that's frightening!

[hazelson]

Awful!

[DebbieandJerry]

How awful - for everyone: the family, the ship, the personnel who helped this family

[GottaCruz]

What a horror!!! Recently, on Oprah, there was a show all about it . A survivor of this, was on the show. Let me just say that she was missing several body parts.

[deb1220]

OMG....very scary!