Hi,

A sales clerk at a Wal-Mart told my buddy that there is flesh eating bacteria problem at Galveston Bay and Clear Lake. So if we want to fish, we need to go to the gulf side of the island.

Has anyone heard of this recently?

It can and has happened to a few people .. the best way to prevent is to take some bleach in a spray bottle and clean your hands a few times. ( rinse with fresh water )
Anytime you get a cut,or stick you should clean with the bleach.
This is what I have been told by my saltwater buddies.

Really only effects old people, diabetics, people with serious health problems, children, etc..

The majority of wader fishermen don't have anything to worry about.

I met a one legged man at Calaveras last year. Said he was wadfishing at Rockport, got a small cut on his foot from an oyster shell. Woke up the next morning with his leg all inflamed. A week later he was released from the hospital minus one leg. The bacteria can be found in all most all bodies of water, so if you get a cut, use a solution of hydrogen peroxide or duluted bleach on it. Just like the sun..use a sunblocker & maybe you won't get skin cancer. I did !
Roger

It's definitely out there. Check out the July 2009 edition of Gulf Coast Connections Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine. Port Mansfield fishing guide Mike McBride got it after a stingray hit. He spent time in the hospital and could have lost a leg, or worse. The photos are very graphic. My boss lost an arm up to the elbow a few years ago. I put liquid band aid on now if I have any type of wound before wading.

Vibrio Vulnificus

I read thar vibrio vulnificus is also found on the spines of 90% of the catfish caught in the bays. Got stuck pretty good in the hand a couple of years ago swelled up but didn't fall off. Must have been one of the 10% that wasn't a carrier. I guess we could all panic and stay out of the water but I think we have a better chance of being run over by a boat than becoming infected with flesh eating bacteria.The problem with statistics is that they are meaningless unless you're the one affected.

I'm one of those individuals that are at extremely high-risk for the disease since I'm a transplant patient with a dual transplant and immuno-suppressed to keep my kidney & pancreas from rejection.

I do miss eating raw oysters and also wade fishing, but I'd rather be alive than flipping that coin!

Nothing to be concerned about or take precautions about? "Etc." have always bothered me.

well, we went INTO the bay on monday. none of us, 13 year old son, 8 year old daughter, or me, are sick. the entry on wikipedia is sure gross and we hope we will never get it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesh_eating_bacteria