Florida man battles severe Vibrio infection as leg swells dramatically

While fishing near Port St. Joe in late August 2025, Ben West suffered a raw abrasion on his ankle that became infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium known for causing necrotizing fasciitis. He initially sought treatment two days later but was misdiagnosed with cellulitis and given inappropriate antibiotics, leading to a rapid decline that required ventilation and several emergency surgeries. Over the following months, doctors performed laser tissue removal, skin grafts and numerous wound dressings, yet the infected area repeatedly reopened, causing his left leg to swell to eight times the size of his right.

After ten months of limited healing and persistent pain described as electric shocks, West and his wife Janie decided on a below-knee amputation, scheduled for this week. Gulf Coast health authorities report a surge in Vibrio cases, with 14 infections and two deaths in Florida alone this year, underscoring the need for caution around seawater and raw shellfish.