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Man loses battle with Gulf bacteria
Houston dentist who was infected last month dies in Victoria hospital
By JOHN W. GONZALEZ
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
COASTAL DANGER
A Houston dentist with a passion for Gulf Coast preservation has lost his monthlong battle with a flesh-eating bacteria that invaded a cut on his leg while he was fishing near Port O'Connor, officials said Friday.
Dr. Kenneth Dean Creamer, 52, who practiced dentistry in northwest Houston, died late Thursday in a Victoria hospital where he had been treated since July 17, two days after he was exposed to the saltwater bacteria vibrio vulnificus.
His is the seventh vibrio-related death in Texas this year, officials said. At least a dozen Texans have been injured by the choleralike bacteria as well, according to the Texas Department of Health.
Another man on Creamer's fishing-contest outing was infected by a different strain of the bacteria. He was released from the Victoria hospital on Monday after more than three weeks of treatment, including several surgeries to remove tainted flesh. Officials attributed his survival to swift medical treatment after exposure.
Creamer apparently got a minor cut on his leg July 15 when he slipped on a dock. The following day, the leg grew swollen and he sought treatment in Port Lavaca. By the second day he was critically ill, a spokesman at Citizens Medical Center in Victoria said.
"By the time he got here, vibrio had already infiltrated his blood system and he was in shock, which itself can be deadly," CMC spokesman Melissa Purl said. Within days, both legs were amputated and he sank into a coma, she said.
"I've never seen anybody fight to live harder in my whole life. It was absolutely amazing. Even though he was not conscious he was sedated and he was so very sick he fought the good fight. He was an inspiration to all of us," Purl said.
Creamer is survived by his wife, Jane, and two sons. Funeral services were pending.
Location : The bacteria, vibrio vulnificus , is common in the Gulf and most prevalent in coastal and bay waters in warmer months.
Transmission : It can be ingested in contaminated seafood, such as oysters, or absorbed through skin wounds; it doesn't penetrate healthy skin.
Confirmed cases : From March through July, there were 11 confirmed cases of non-fatal, wound-related vibrio infections in Texas, according to the CDC.
Precautions : Experts say those who enter coastal waters should make note of skin cuts and check them later for redness or swelling. If caught quickly, illness caused by the bacteria is controllable with antibiotics.
Houston dentist who was infected last month dies in Victoria hospital
By JOHN W. GONZALEZ
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
COASTAL DANGER
A Houston dentist with a passion for Gulf Coast preservation has lost his monthlong battle with a flesh-eating bacteria that invaded a cut on his leg while he was fishing near Port O'Connor, officials said Friday.
Dr. Kenneth Dean Creamer, 52, who practiced dentistry in northwest Houston, died late Thursday in a Victoria hospital where he had been treated since July 17, two days after he was exposed to the saltwater bacteria vibrio vulnificus.
His is the seventh vibrio-related death in Texas this year, officials said. At least a dozen Texans have been injured by the choleralike bacteria as well, according to the Texas Department of Health.
Another man on Creamer's fishing-contest outing was infected by a different strain of the bacteria. He was released from the Victoria hospital on Monday after more than three weeks of treatment, including several surgeries to remove tainted flesh. Officials attributed his survival to swift medical treatment after exposure.
Creamer apparently got a minor cut on his leg July 15 when he slipped on a dock. The following day, the leg grew swollen and he sought treatment in Port Lavaca. By the second day he was critically ill, a spokesman at Citizens Medical Center in Victoria said.
"By the time he got here, vibrio had already infiltrated his blood system and he was in shock, which itself can be deadly," CMC spokesman Melissa Purl said. Within days, both legs were amputated and he sank into a coma, she said.
"I've never seen anybody fight to live harder in my whole life. It was absolutely amazing. Even though he was not conscious he was sedated and he was so very sick he fought the good fight. He was an inspiration to all of us," Purl said.
Creamer is survived by his wife, Jane, and two sons. Funeral services were pending.
Location : The bacteria, vibrio vulnificus , is common in the Gulf and most prevalent in coastal and bay waters in warmer months.
Transmission : It can be ingested in contaminated seafood, such as oysters, or absorbed through skin wounds; it doesn't penetrate healthy skin.
Confirmed cases : From March through July, there were 11 confirmed cases of non-fatal, wound-related vibrio infections in Texas, according to the CDC.
Precautions : Experts say those who enter coastal waters should make note of skin cuts and check them later for redness or swelling. If caught quickly, illness caused by the bacteria is controllable with antibiotics.
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