Jackson Lake man twice contracts flesh-eating bacteria on Texas beaches

A Lake Jackson man is in hospital recovering from a rare flesh-eating bacteria he said he contracted on Wednesday.

Woody Harvill has contracted Vibrio Vulnificus, a naturally occurring bacteria, twice. The 68-year-old said he first caught it in his right hand over Memorial Day weekend while surf fishing on Brazoria County beach near Surfside. Harvill said he contracted the bacteria again on Wednesday morning in his left hand while fishing at the same beach.

“I finally took off my bandages two weeks ago and decided to go fishing. And I was very careful. I haven’t been that wet. I sealed it and then got it in the other hand, ”Harvill said.

Harvill had to undergo surgery at UTMB Galveston each time. He said he didn’t know how he got Vibrio because he didn’t have a cut or open sore, which is how people usually get the bacteria.

People with pre-existing conditions are also susceptible, according to the Galveston County Department of Health. Bacteria thrive in salt water.

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The Galveston County Health Department said it had only reported two cases of Vibrio in 2021 – one in Crystal Beach and the other related to food.

Harvill said he doesn’t want people to panic about entering the water, he just wants them to be careful about how they feel afterward.

“If someone starts to feel uncomfortable and they start to swell pretty quickly, go get them checked out because they’re very aggressive and they’ll kill you,” he said.