Cason Yeager Dies After Contracting Deadly, Flesh-Eating Bacteria

Cason Yeager died from a dangerous, flesh-eating bacteria over a week ago, and many people are upset because the state health department hasn’t issued a public warning yet, a report from 13WMAZ revealed.

According to Yeager’s mother, the 26-year-old contracted the deadly bacteria while swimming with a group of friends in shallow waters about two miles south of Pine Island Beach in Hernando County, Florida.

Karen Yeager Mercer, Cason’s mother, is devastated by the sudden passing of her son and she spoke with local media sources about the incident.

“We never would have imagined in a million years that this would happen. It’s my worst nightmare and I can’t wake up from it. He was so young and had so much left to do on this earth. No one should have to go through this. Ever.”

Cason Yeager contracted the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous bacterium that mostly lives in seawater and usually enters the body through an open wound. It mainly affects elderly people with problems in their immune system, and it can only be treated with powerful antibiotics. Karen says her son was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder nearly a decade ago, but, according to her, he hasn’t had a problem since and he was healthy.

Reportedly, Cason contracted the rare bacteria on June 14 — he was dead two days later. According to his mother, doctors did their best to save the young man’s life but the infection proved to be too much.

“He coded out again and then they worked on him for about 45 minutes and they could not bring him back,” Karen Yeager explained.

Karen now wants the health department to post signs warning of the presence of the bacterium, and how dangerous it can be for people. Cason’s death has left many swimmers painfully aware and horrified of this deadly bacterium.

According to ABC News, citing a statement from Florida Department of Health spokeswoman Mara Burger, Cason Yeager’s death is Florida’s fourth Vibrio vulnificus fatality this year. In 2012, 26 infections were recorded and nine deaths, and in 2013, 41 cases and 12 deaths. In 2014, 32 cases of Vibrio vulnificus and seven deaths were recorded.

Doctors recommend abstaining from eating raw shellfish, especially oysters, and bathing in the sea or brackish water with wounds to prevent any possibility of infection. Between 1988 and 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received reports of more than 900 cases of Vibrio vulnificus, most of them in the Gulf Coast states.

[Image via YouTube video screen capture]