DESTIN, Fla. — This might pop up in your social media feed if it hasn't already.
A Florida woman is calling for bacteria warning signs at beaches and parks or anywhere you find water.
Cheryl Wiygul says her dad Dave Bennett contracted vibrio while visiting her in Destin. She posted a picture after he developed a sore on his back.
Vibrio bacteria live naturally in some coastal waters and is found at higher concentrations during the summer months as the water temperatures warm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 80 percent of infections occur between May and October.
According to the CDC, most people get infections after eating raw or undercooked shellfish -- usually oysters -- or when bacteria come into contact with open wounds in salty or brackish waters.
Wiygul says her dad had cancer and a compromised immune system, which experts say would have made him more likely to get vibriosis. The family says he died after returning to Memphis, and a funeral will be held next weekend.
Cheryl's Facebook post has been shared more than 18,000 times.
The federal government says vibriosis causes 80,000 illnesses in the U.S. each year. And, the majority are the result of people eating contaminated food. Most people recover from their illnesses within three days. However, some can become seriously ill or even die.
You should see a doctor if you have any of these symptoms, which generally are seen within 24 hours: diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, chills or fevers.
Click here to learn more from the CDC.
What other people are reading right now:
- Convicted child molester who escaped from Florida prison captured in Miami-Dade
- Mother arrested after daughter licks tongue depressor, puts it back at Jacksonville doctor's office
- Dolphin found impaled in the head in South Florida
- He called police on black women at swimming pool. Now he's facing criminal charges
- Fecal pollution puts Tampa area beaches under 'health advisory'
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
