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Explaining flesh-eating bacteria
Necrotizing Fasciitis is a rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body and can cause death, according to the CDC.
Health officials are warning beachgoers to be cautious in coastal waters after reports of deadly infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria that thrives in warm seawater and brackish environments.
The bacteria is considered the most dangerous of more than a dozen Vibrio species. While cases remain relatively rare, Vibrio vulnificus infections are highly lethal, killing about one in five people who become infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus lives in coastal waters, especially in warm temperatures and moderate salt levels found in bays, estuaries, and lagoons. Infections are most common from May through October.
People typically become infected when the bacteria enters through small cuts, scrapes, piercings, or surgical wounds after exposure to seawater. Others fall ill after eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters.
By the numbers:
Symptoms can progress rapidly, often requiring multiple surgeries, amputations, and in severe cases can be fatal.
- The CDC estimates Vibrio vulnificus causes about 200 cases each year nationwide.
- Louisiana has reported 20 cases so far this year, including four deaths — more than twice the seasonal average.
- Florida has confirmed 17 cases and five deaths, compared with 82 cases and 19 deaths at the same time last year.
- Massachusetts health officials recently confirmed an infection on Cape Cod, underscoring the bacteria’s northward spread.
Why cases are rising
A colorized scanning electron micrograph shows Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which can cause severe and sometimes deadly infections in humans. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
Scientists warn climate change may be fueling the spread. A 2023 study found Vibrio infections are increasing and spreading north, with the northernmost reported case shifting by about 30 miles each year.
"The Gulf’s water is the perfect convergence of the right amount of salt and the right amount of heat to let this organism proliferate," said Dr. Fred Lopez, an infectious diseases specialist at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
Tropical storms and hurricanes can also churn up bacteria levels, raising risks in states like Florida.
What you can do:
The CDC recommends the following precautions to reduce the risk of Vibrio vulnificus infection:
- Avoid swimming in saltwater or brackish water if you have open wounds, recent piercings, or surgical incisions.
- Cover wounds with waterproof bandages if exposure is likely.
- Wash cuts thoroughly with soap and clean running water after contact with seawater or raw seafood.
- Do not eat raw or undercooked oysters or shellfish.
- Wash hands after handling raw shellfish, and use gloves if you are at higher risk due to chronic illness.
Seek immediate medical attention if you develop fever, chills, or skin infections with redness, blisters, or dark patches after coastal exposure.
The Source: This report is based on information from state health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, interviews with infectious disease specialists and reporting from the Associated Press.