Microscopic dangers lurking under water trying to ruin your vacation

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Vacations are a time to get away and relax.

There have been several reports of area folks coming back from a beach vacation with a bacterial infection.

Getting sick hundreds of miles away from home is no vacation. And those warm waters could be hiding danger. Before you hit the road, it pays to do your research.

A beach vacation may seem like paradise, but germs and other bacteria are everywhere, and they can spoil the trip.

“There’s a lot of different people out there, millions every summer and spring. There’s a lot of different stuff floating around in the water,” said Chase Larmour.

Nurse Practitioner Chase Larmour says thousands of beach goers come in contact with  Necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating bacteria.

And he warns swimmers to avoid the water if they have an open wound.

“If you have a sore or maybe you bumped your toe maybe you stubbed it, if you see lesions, if you have a sore if you have a wound,” said Larmour.

Larmour says symptoms can show very quickly.

“You start having redness, bruising, swelling, heat to the area. You start noticing changes in hours ,literally hours , the wound gets worse or maybe you have a bruise. It starts getting bigger; it starts getting black in the center, you need to be seen by a doctor quickly,” said Larmour.

Larmour says getting immediate medical attention can possibly prevent the bacteria from spreading any further.

“It can be very serious, even fatal within 24 hours,” said Larmour.

Finding that medical care can be a challenge when you’re not familiar with the area.

Travel Agent Kelly McKellar says researching your vacation area can help

“It’s important to know what’s going on in the area before you leave home. Check out on social media as well as in the news what’s going on in that particular area so you know that warnings that have been posted,” said McKellar.

Experts say be mindful when going on vacation, knowing where the hospital is can be as important as knowing the best restaurants.

Categories: Local News

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