Bacteria that caused a "flesh-eating disease" in a Bryan County man last week are found naturally in the environment and are not specifically caused or affected by pollution, officials said. Joseph Allen contracted necrotizing fasciitis after entering the Ogeechee River on July 7 and is in St. Joseph's Candler Hospital in Savannah undergoing treatment. Roger Naylor, the emergency preparedness coordinator for the Southeast Health District, and Ogeechee Riverkeeper Emily Markesteyn said Wednesday that the disease happens when people with wounds or compromised immune systems encounter certain bacteria, often found in fresh and saltwater.