PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. – A man from Alabama has had his leg amputated, after doctors say he contracted a flesh eating bacteria during a visit to Pensacola Beach earlier this month.
75-year-old William Pledger and his family enjoy watching the Blue Angels, boating and fishing every year in Little Sabine Bay on Pensacola Beach.
His son, John Patrick Pledger, says the whole family was in the water on July 9. Five days later, his father complained that his leg began to feel sore and then things took a turn for the worse.
“He was in severe pain, could not sit still, his leg had started swelling up,” said John Pledger.
He was taken to the hospital where doctors diagnosed him with the flesh eating bacteria vibrio vulnificus.
Pledger’s leg was in bad shape and had to be amputated from the knee down.
Earlier this month, the Department of Health in Escambia County issued a health warning about vibrio in the water.
They urged people who have cuts not to go in the water.
William Pledger’s family says he was nursing a cut on his left leg.
“He had a small cut on his left leg, it was scabbed over, didn’t look too bad. It was very small,” said John Pledger.
His family said he wasn’t in any other body of water besides the bay on Pensacola Beach.
“It was very emotional watching my dad go through all this,” said John Pledger.
Vibrio symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain and blistering.
This year there has been one reported case in Escambia County. Last year there were 11.
“Take care of yourself stay out of the water, it’s just a bad deal,” said John Pledger.
Doctors say William Pledger has a long road to recovery and will be hospitalized for months.