By Lauren Burgess

COLQUITT, Ga. – After taking a family trip to Panama City Beach, Tony Meredith and his family say that he is lucky to be alive, after contracting the flesh-eating disease necrotizing fasciitis. 

Five days after they returned home from their vacation, Tony Meredith began to experience flu-like symptoms. When his condition began to worsen, they began to seek professional medical help. Doctors first thought Meredith had a kidney infection, but after noticing his leg swelling, a test was performed where it was determined he had had necrotizing fasciitis. The bacteria had entered through a barely noticeable cut just below his knee. 

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Necrotizing fasciitis is a disease which decays the body’s soft tissue. The bacteria enters through open flesh wounds and external injuries.

Then bacteria attacks the fascia, a band of connective tissue that attaches, encloses, and separates the muscles and internal organs. The infection can spread quickly, sometimes at the rate of an inch an hour, leading to toxic shock syndrome, causing internal organs to shut down. 

The medical staff at Southeast Health were able to save his leg and his life by applying powerful antibiotics, killing the infection.

“Anybody that’s going to the beach, they need to really, really be real cautious before getting in the sand or the water. I never thought it would happen to me,” Meredith said in a statement to WDHN.

This marks the ninth case of necrotizing fasciitis reported in 2019. 

However, fear of this infection should not stop you from going into the water. While cases of necrotizing fasciitis can turn fatal, it is important to note that the disease is extremely rare, with only about 20,000 cases reported every year. The likelihood of being diagnosed with pneumonia, HIV/AIDs, and cancer is much greater than the possibility of being diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis. 

“These infections can be treated with antibiotics and sometimes require surgery to remove damaged tissue. Rapid diagnosis is the key to effective treatment and recovery,” said officials from Bay County’s Health Department. “If you are healthy with a strong immune system, your chances of developing or having complications due to this condition are extremely low.”