A 55-year-old woman died in October after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria on a trip to visit friends and family in Louisiana.
Jeanette LeBlanc got sick after going crabbing and then eating raw oysters that she and a friend picked up from a market in Westwego.
Her friend Karen Bowers told KLFY that LeBlanc became sick after the two of them ate the raw oysters.
. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
Jeanette LeBlanc, 55 (pictured), died on October 15 – 21 days after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria on a trip to Louisiana
LeBlanc got sick after going crabbing and then eating raw oysters (stock image of oysters)
At first, she says it looked like her friend was having an allergic reaction.
But LeBlanc’s condition worsened in the next 48 hours and she was hospitalized.
Doctors diagnosed LeBlanc with vibriosis.
‘It’s a flesh-eating bacteria. She had severe wounds on her legs from that bacteria,’ LeBlanc’s partner Vicki Bergquist said.
Her condition worsened in the first 48 hours and she was hospitalized. Above, pictures of her legs after contracting the virus
Her partner, Vicki Bergquist, is now working to spread awareness of vibriosis, the bacteria that LeBlanc contracted
Most vibriosis outbreaks happen in the warmer months, between May and October
According to the CDC, people can contract vibriosis from brackish water or eating raw oysters. LeBlanc was exposed to both of those things on the day she got sick.
Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, fever and chills. Severe cases like LeBlanc’s can result in death.
Outbreaks happen in the warmer months, from May to October.
LeBlanc fought the bacteria for 21 days before dying on October 15.
According to the CDC, the bacteria can be contracted in brackish water and from eating raw seafood. LeBlanc pictured above
‘I can’t even imagine going through that for 21 days. Most people don’t last,’ said Bowers said.
Bergquist and Bowers are now working together to help raise awareness of flesh-eating bacteria.
‘If they really knew what could happen to them and they could literally die within 48, 36 hours of eating raw oysters, is it really worth it?’ Bowers said.
‘If we had known that the risk was so high, I think she would’ve stopped eating oysters,’ Bergquist added.