Flesh-Eating Bacteria At Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Ravages Woman's Leg

A North Carolina woman was left fighting for her life after she came in contact with flesh-eating bacteria while vacationing at South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach last week.

According to a report by NBC-affiliate WMBF News, Bonita Fetterman from Lumberton city cut her leg on a chair while standing on the balcony of her hotel.

As the injury wasn’t very serious, Fetterman did not seek any medical help and later went down to the beach, her granddaughter, who didn't wish to be identified, told the news website. The following days she did not have any complaints.

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However, things took an ugly turn when the family came back home Saturday and Fetterman noticed blisters on her leg. The blisters soon turned purple, and Fetterman’s blood pressure started dropping.

She was immediately taken to Southeastern Hospital, but was airlifted Sunday morning to University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill after her condition deteriorated.

“If she stayed there, she had like a 10 percent chance of surviving, and they were to amputate her leg,” Fetterman’s granddaughter was quoted as saying in a Washington Post report.

The case garnered national attention after Fetterman's daughter, Marsha Barnes Beal, put up an emotional Facebook post detailing her mother's ordeal.

"She came in contact with a life threatening flesh eating bacteria after putting her feet in the water at Myrtle Beach! Surgery is the only option until it is completely cut away from her long!” she posted.

Along with the message, Beal also posted a few photographs showing her mother’s bruised leg. She also posted a video of her mother while she was being airlifted and taken to the hospital.

Beal’s post was shared more than 78,000 times and received several thousand comments with people praying for Fetterman’s speedy recovery.

Speaking to WMBF News, Fetterman’s granddaughter said: "The doctor came in and spoke with me at Chapel Hill. He said it was a flesh eating bacteria from her open wound.”

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Meanwhile, the Myrtle Beach officials Monday posted a message on their official Facebook account addressing the incident that took place with Fetterman.

The post read: "The City of Myrtle Beach is aware of a Facebook post that claims bacterial issues along the Grand Strand. We have had no reports and no direct contact about any such issues. The city has been unable to confirm the location or date of any such incident. At this point, all we have is a Facebook post, with no confirmation.”

"Our ocean water quality is tested twice weekly, with excellent results. If we can determine where such contact may have occurred, we can order additional water quality tests to determine whether any connection exists," the statement added.