Widow recounts husband’s death from flesh-eating Vibrio after calf-deep water at Virginia Beach

A Virginia Beach widow has described how she lost her husband to a flesh-eating bacterial infection after paddling in calf-deep water at their longtime vacation spot. Joyce D'Arcy and her husband, Derek, visited Virginia Beach in August for what they called their favorite getaway. They waded in the water, not even up to their knees, but that was enough for Vibrio vulnificus to enter a small open cut on Derek's leg.

Four days after the trip, D'Arcy noticed a purple stripe along his leg. They sent his blood for testing, but the positive result for vibrio did not arrive until three days later, by which time the infection had spread across both legs. D'Arcy says her husband had a weakened immune system due to dialysis, which she believes contributed to the rapid spread. Doctors determined that the only way to try to save him was to amputate his legs to stop the infection from spreading. Just 12 hours after surgery, the bacteria had spread to his chest, hands and head, and the couple then knew they had lost the fight.

Vibrio infections are more common than many people realize, and experts say one in five infections are fatal. Cleveland Clinic doctors say vibrio is more common than people think, especially in the warmer months of May through October. Infections occur with some frequency; most people survive, but symptoms are very painful and limb amputations are sometimes required. Last month, cases of Vibrio infection rose into the double digits along the Gulf Coast and further up the Atlantic coast as water temperatures warmed. Experts attribute rising infections to warming waters, with Vibrio thriving in water between 68 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Earlier this month, a mother was left fighting for her life and almost lost her leg after contracting vibrio when she swam at Quietwater Beach in Florida. Also earlier this month, a father contracted a vibrio infection after a fishing trip, which caused serious swelling and a burning sensation in his foot and ankle and required multiple surgeries to stop the spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five people who are infected with vibrio will die. The widow hopes her story serves as a warning about how quickly vibrio can be deadly and that awareness can spare other families from a similar loss.