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There is an incident here in Georgia where a 24 year old college student is fighting for her life because of an injury she received was infected by bacteria in a creek. This is a rare occurence but it does happen and I heard the bacteria was present in all creeks and similar bodies of water.
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/gwi...r-1433852.html
My prayers are definitely are with Aimee Copeland and her family.
I am 90% certain the newspaper story is inaccurate. The bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila causes diseases in fish and amphibians, but only rarely infects humans, and then only those with compromised immune systems. It was not mentioned whether Miss Copeland is diabetic, on NSAIDS, or has some other chronic condition, but it seems likely. Even on the rare occasion that Aeromonas infects a human, it usually only causes gastroenteritis. It is only suspected as a possible cause for Necrotizing faciitis. A definite causal relationship has never been established, as of yet.
It is more likely that Miss Copeland was exposed to a Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, or Clostridium bacterial strain in the hospital while her leg was being treated. These bacteria are the main ones that cause Necrotizing faciitis. Hospitals don't like people to know about it, but super-resitant strains of these bacteria are a nightmare, and they are occurring more and more frequently due to over-prescription of antibiotics. Hospital-caused infections happen a lot more than the general public is aware of.
These infections, while very serious to those who contract them, seldom occur in people with a normally healthy immune system. I've been down that particular river myself, many times, as have many, many other people, and no one has contracted anything from the water. There is no need to panic.
If you have diabetes, or anything else that may compromise your immune system, it is not a bad idea to wear waders when wading, but certainly not in a kayak (they can fill with water and drown you). If you get any type of cut, you should treat it with an antiseptic, and see a physician as soon as possible. Let them know you may have a compromised immune system so they can start you on an antibiotic regime as soon as possible, to guard against any opportunistic infections.
I'll be praying that Aimee pulls through.