Flesh-eating bacteria claims seven lives in Louisiana and Florida; officials urge caution

The United States has recorded seven deaths this year from the dangerous flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, with five fatalities in Louisiana and one in Florida, both states along the Gulf Coast. Health authorities are advising the public to exercise caution, especially when immersing themselves in seawater with open wounds or consuming raw seafood.

The Louisiana Department of Health (LHD) reported nine patients infected with Vibrio vulnificus, all of whom required hospitalization, resulting in five deaths. This figure exceeds the historical average of seven cases and one death typically seen around this time of year. In Florida, health officials reported an additional death in Marion County, bringing the state's total to one, alongside 14 cases.

Health officials are emphasizing precautions as infections commonly occur between May and October, coinciding with warmer temperatures. Infections can result from exposing open wounds to seawater or consuming raw shellfish, particularly oysters. The bacteria, known as "flesh-eating" or "carnivorous," can cause severe bloodstream infections, leading to skin lesions with blisters, fever, chills, low blood pressure, and gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

"People with severe infections may require intensive care or amputation of limbs. About one in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes a day or two after becoming ill," the LHD warned in a statement. Annually, the U.S. sees between 150 and 200 national infections of this specific bacteria, primarily in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Projections suggest annual cases could increase by 50% by 2090 compared to historical records up to 1995, attributed to rising sea temperatures.

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People with severe infections may require intensive care or amputation of limbs. About one in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes a day or two after becoming ill.