Marine Recruit Hit With Mystery Rash Dies

Dec. 17 -- A potentially lethal bacteria outbreak that has sent more than 100 Marine recruits to the hospital in California may have caused the death of an 18-year-old private.

The recruit, 18-year-old Pvt. Miguel "Mike" Zavala, died after seeking medical treatment for a rash on his left ankle. He was one of dozens of recruits at the Marine Corp's West Coast Recruiting Depot in Camp Pendleton who was hospitalized with symptoms of Streptococcus A, a bacteria that can cause a flesh-eating disease.

Zavala's family members say they believe his death may have been related to the recent outbreak of Strep A.

The Marine Corps has begun testing nearly 5,000 of its members at the base for the contagious disease and is treating them with antibiotics in hopes of stemming the spread of the disease.

But for the Zavalas, the action came too late.

"On Sunday we get a call saying he was taken in because of pneumonia, because his lungs were not working, that his heart was stopping," said Patty Ramirez, the victim's sister.

"We were on our way to San Diego when about an hour passed and they called us and we called the medical center to find out the status on my brother and all they said is sorry, he didn't make it," Ramirez told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America.

Zavala, 18, reported to the base clinic at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, along with 394 members of his training company for a routine medical check.

After Zavala was seen in the clinic, Marine officials said, doctors concluded the rash on his left ankle was serious enough to require attention at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. At the hospital, the rash quickly spread to the rest of his body and he started suffering pneumonia-like symptoms. By 1:01 p.m., Zavala was dead.

Zavala was the third recruit to die at the base in as many weeks. Officials said the deaths were unrelated.

Pvt. Neal Edwards, 18, of St. Clair, Mo., died Nov. 24 of a heart ailment after completing an obstacle course, and Pvt. Samuel J. Bruss, 19, of Kenosha, Wis., died Thursday when his lungs filled with fluid during survival training at the base swimming pool, officials said.