The summer is in full swing, and unfortunately, that means it’s prime “flesh-eating” bacteria season, too.
Multiple states along the Gulf and Eastern coasts are reporting cases of severe Vibrio vulnificus infection. In recent weeks, several people have died as a result. Experts are warning people to practice prudent safety measures, such as avoiding the water if they have any open wounds.
The ‘flesh-eating’ disease
Several species of Vibrio bacteria can sicken humans, usually by causing gastrointestinal illness. V. vulnificus is more infamous for causing necrotizing fasciitis, though, a type of severe infection that rapidly kills off surrounding skin and tissue. This destruction looks like chewed-through flesh, hence the misnomer of “flesh-eating” disease.
These infections, though rare, are highly lethal. Even with prompt antibiotic treatment, about one in five people sickened by V. vulnificus die from it on average, often within a day or two of noticeable symptoms.
V. vulnificus is typically found in salt or brackish waters, and most necrotizing infections are caught when the bacteria enter an open wound while in these waters. People can also contract it by handling tainted raw or undercooked seafood. Ingesting such foods is more likely to cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms, though people with weakened immune systems are still susceptible to severe infections.
Where is it being reported?
Numerous states have reported V. vulnificus or related infections within their borders this year.
As of this week, Alabama has documented 16 Vibrio infections, at least two of which involved skin or soft tissue (likely V. vulnificus) and one death; Maryland has reported 29 cases of the parasite, though no deaths; and Mississippi has recorded 3 cases. Louisiana has reported 9 cases of V. vulnificus, with five deaths, and Florida (a common hotspot) has logged 14 cases and two deaths.
Annually, about 150 to 200 cases of V. vulnificus are reported nationally to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But there are signs it’s becoming more of a problem. A 2023 study found that reported cases in the eastern United States increased eightfold from 1988 to 2018, for example. Extreme weather events like heat waves and hurricanes can also cause surges. Florida experienced a record high of 82 cases in 2024, with many arriving in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. These weather events and warming waters in general are being fueled, at least in part, by climate change, making it likely that cases of V. vulnificus and other Vibrio infections will continue to increase in the years to come.
Rare as this infection is, there are sensible steps you can take to further lower your risk of catching it.
Health departments recommend that you avoid salt or brackish water if you have an open cut, for instance, or at least that you wear a waterproof bandage before getting into the water. You should also thoroughly wash any cuts exposed to these waters or raw seafood. And you should seek immediate medical care if you develop a worsening skin infection around your cuts after these exposures.
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