Bahamas safety reports

Published medical case: severe leg infection after Bahamas swimming trip

A 2018 clinical case report describes a traveler who swam in resort pools and in the ocean with pigs after a recent skin biopsy. He developed severe cellulitis and a bloodstream infection caused by Shewanella, a marine bacterium. He recovered with antibiotics and did not require surgery. The case supports concern about seawater exposure through an open wound; it does not demonstrate that pigs transmitted the bacteria or identify a responsible excursion company.

Source: Dretler, Jacob and Rouphael, Case Reports in Infectious Diseases, October 24, 2018.

Serious infection followed Bahamas vacation, but source of infection was not established

A traveler described becoming critically ill after returning from a Bahamas trip that included swimming with pigs and water slides. The report says he had an ankle scrape before those activities and was later treated for necrotizing fasciitis, requiring an extended recovery. It does not establish which activity, water exposure or organism caused the infection, or identify a responsible operator.

Source: Cruise Radio, published February 11, 2026. Timing after an excursion is not proof that the excursion caused the illness.

Pig bites and dirty-water concerns come up in travelers’ excursion discussion

Travelers in this discussion describe pigs getting aggressive around visitors, a guest being bitten and concerns about dirty conditions. Some also worry about infections after contact with the water. These are separate comments about different trips, not one person’s account or a confirmed outbreak. The comments do not consistently identify an operator.

Source: Reddit public discussion.