A gruesome incident in the Gulf of Mexico involving a man with a new tattoo and a flesh-eating bacteria shows that it’s best to heed the warnings that medical professionals give you. The man ignored warnings not to go swimming shortly after getting a new tattoo on his right calf, and went swimming just five days later in the Gulf, later contracting a deadly bacteria.

The man started to get symptoms such as fever, chills, and a rash near the tattoo of a crucifix and praying hands not long after swimming, so he checked into a hospital. He was soon placed on life support, but it was not enough to save him, as he died two weeks later when his kidneys failed.

Authorities think that it was an infection of the parasite vibriosis, although years of alcohol abuse may have weakened his body to the point that he was more susceptible to infection, experts say.

“We present a case of Vibrio vulnificus septic shock and cellulitis in a patient with chronic liver disease that occurred after obtaining a leg tattoo with subsequent seawater exposure in the Gulf of Mexico,” the summary from the British Medical Journal states. “Initial suspicion for V. vulnificus was high and he was started on empiric doxycycline and ceftriaxone at admission. Blood and wound cultures grew oxidase positive and comma-shaped Gram-negative rods ultimately confirmed to be V. vulnificus. Despite aggressive initial treatment, the patient developed septic shock and died. This case highlights the association of chronic liver disease and high mortality associated with infections of V. vulnificus. Health providers should remain vigilant for V. vulnificus infections in patients with chronic liver disease and raw oyster ingestion or seawater exposure.”