Flesh-eating bacteria kills five in Louisiana
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<a href="https://healthylife7.com/five-people-died-from-flesh-eating-bacteria-in-gulf-waters-of-louisiana-heres-what-you-need-to-know/” title=”Five people died from flesh-eating bacteria in Gulf waters of Louisiana. Here's what you need to know.”>Five people in Louisiana have died this year after becoming infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly “flesh-eating” bacteria that thrives in warm coastal and brackish waters, state health officials said
Another four people in Louisiana have been hospitalized with the infection. All nine cases were linked to wounds that came into contact with seawater, according to health officials
Vibrio bacteria naturally occur in coastal waters and can infect people when open cuts or wounds are exposed to contaminated seawater. People can also become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters
The bacteria are more common between May and October, when water temperatures rise. However, researchers have increasingly detected Vibrio vulnificus in areas that were previously considered too cold for the bacteria to thrive, raising concerns about the effects of warming seas
A joint analysis by U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency researchers has estimated that Vibrio infections in the United States could increase by about 50% by 2090 compared with 1995 as sea temperatures rise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 80,000 cases of vibriosis occur in the United States each year. Vibrio vulnificus is among the species capable of causing serious illness
The infection can become life-threatening rapidly. The CDC estimates that about one in five people who contract Vibrio vulnificus die, with some deaths occurring within just a day or two of becoming sick
Symptoms can include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. In severe cases, the infection can enter the bloodstream, causing dangerously low blood pressure and blistering skin lesions
Louisiana health officials said all of the patients who became infected had underlying health conditions that increased their risk of severe illness or complications
The bacteria have also been reported in other states this year. Florida has recorded 14 cases of Vibrio vulnificus and two deaths, with fatalities reported in Marion County and Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Department of Health
Researchers in New York also reported in April that they had detected Vibrio vulnificus in several bodies of water around Long Island
Severe weather can further increase the risk. Storms and hurricanes can push warm brackish water inland, bringing the bacteria into areas where people may not normally expect to encounter them. Florida recorded 19 deaths from Vibrio vulnificus in 2024, a year marked by Hurricanes Helene and Milton
Health officials are urging people with open wounds to avoid saltwater and brackish water, particularly after storms. Anyone whose wound comes into contact with potentially contaminated water should wash it thoroughly with soap and clean water
Officials are also advising people to cook seafood thoroughly and keep cooked seafood separate from raw seafood and its juices
With coastal waters becoming warmer, health experts are increasingly monitoring where Vibrio vulnificus can survive—and warning that exposure to seemingly ordinary seawater can become dangerous for vulnerable people
