A local man is being treated at an Indianapolis hospital after being infected with flesh-eating bacteria from an unknown source.
Kurt Carlsen, 61, Scipio, who has been the chief mechanic for the Columbus Police Department for 40 years and also works at Rural King, has been recovering at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis since late June, after being diagnosed with the bacteria after seeking treatment at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour.
He was listed in stable condition at Methodist on Friday, hospital officials said.
Necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease, is a rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body and can cause death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accurate diagnosis, rapid antibiotic treatment and prompt surgery are used to stop the infection. Fever, dizziness, or nausea soon after an injury or surgery are symptoms for the disease, classified into four types, depending on the infecting organism. Between 55% and 80% of cases involve more than one type of bacteria.
Carlsen, speaking by telephone from the Indianapolis hospital on Friday, said the ordeal began June 23 when he noticed that a pimple on his derriere had turned into a boil, and the pain was becoming increasingly worse. He first went to PromptMed in Columbus, where he received antibiotics and painkillers, and was told that if he was not better by the following day, to obtain further medical help.
When his fever and pain did not subside, Carlsen called his son asking him to take him to the Schneck emergency room, where doctors there were immediately concerned.
“The door of my room was a revolving door of doctors,” Carlsen said. “They told me they were assembling an emergency surgery team and that I would have surgery. I woke up three days later.”
Carlsen had several surgeries to remove the infection and was told by Schneck doctors it had been diagnosed as flesh-eating bacteria.
“They told me that if I hadn’t gone to the emergency room, within four to six hours I wouldn’t be here,” Carlsen said. “This just about killed me.”
At Methodist, Carlsen is undergoing intensive wound treatment and the wound is now under control, from what he has been told, he said.
“I have a long road to recovery,” Carlsen said, adding that he will have to have plastic surgery and skin grafts to repair the areas where surgeons removed the bacteria.
Carlsen said he doesn’t know how he could have contracted the bacteria.
In the United States, three individuals who were vacationing in Florida or other tropical locations have been diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis this summer, and one woman has died. Warmer water that breeds the bacteria in those locations has been mentioned as the reason for the infections, caused when people who have a skin wound were exposed to the bacteria in the water.
Carlsen said he hasn’t left the state and has not been to any area pools or waterways. Doctors have not been able to tell him where he might have come in contact with the bacteria.
A member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Columbus, Carlsen said he has been appreciative of the support and encouragement he has been receiving from family and friends. He said he did not know how long he would be hospitalized as part of his recovery.
Prevention
Here is what medical professionals advise to prevent a flesh-eating bacteria infection. Common sense and good wound care are the best ways to prevent a bacterial skin infection.
- Clean all minor cuts and injuries that break the skin (like blisters and scrapes) with soap and water.
- Clean and cover draining or open wounds with clean, dry bandages until they heal.
- See a doctor for puncture and other deep or serious wounds.
- Wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if washing is not possible.
- Care for fungal infections like athlete’s foot.
If you have an open wound or skin infection, avoid spending time in:
- Hot tubs
- Swimming pools
- Natural bodies of water (e.g., lakes, rivers, oceans)
— Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis
Early symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis can include:
- A red or swollen area of skin that spreads quickly
- Severe pain, including pain beyond the area of the skin that is red or swollen
- Fever
See a doctor right away if you have these symptoms after an injury or surgery. Even though minor illnesses can cause symptoms like these, people should not delay getting medical care.
Later symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis can include:
- Ulcers, blisters, or black spots on the skin
- Changes in the color of the skin
- Pus or oozing from the infected area
- Dizziness
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Diarrhea or nausea
— Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
