The Brief
- Mark Lipko, a Florida man, is recovering in the hospital after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacterial infection through a small cut while working near lakes following recent hurricanes.
- The bacteria spread rapidly, requiring nine surgeries and a colostomy bag, though doctors believe they have now contained the infection.
- Florida has seen a surge in such cases this year, with 82 infections and 16 deaths, largely linked to warm, standing water after Hurricane Milton.
ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida man is hospitalized and fighting for his life after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacterial infection believed to have entered his body through a small cut.
Mark Lipko, who was working near lakes in Orange and Seminole counties delivering propane after recent hurricanes, developed a blister that escalated into a severe infection.
His wife, Karen Lipko, recounted how doctors discovered the bacteria had spread rapidly, attacking his soft tissue and requiring multiple surgeries, including the placement of a colostomy bag.…