Lethal bug lives in seawater and on marine creatures

THERE are several thousand different types of flesh-eating bacteria known to scientists and doctors.

One of the most lethal, Vibrio, lives in warm seawater and on marine creatures such as crabs, prawns, clams and mussels.

The more common ones are Streptococcus, Clostridial and Staphylococcus.

Flesh-eating bugs cause necrotising fasciitis, which means the decaying of the skin.

The National Necrotising Fasciitis Foundation in the United States estimates that there are between 500 to 1,500 such cases a year.

In June 2001, national serviceman Chua Ya Ta died of a very rare bacterial infection, which later led to a re-opened coroner's inquiry and a lawsuit against the doctors and hospital.

The 23-year-old died from streptococcal myositis, a viral infection so rare there have only been 21 cases over 85 years in the US.

Last September, a 10-year-old girl also died from a flesh-eating bacteria, although it is not clear what the bacteria was.

A coroner's inquiry will be conducted into Noni's death.