NEWS
Louisiana leads Florida with 5 Vibrio vulnificus deaths, symptoms, causes
C. A. BridgesUSA TODAY NETWORK – Florida
Aug. 10, 2026, 2:24 p.m. ET
- Louisiana and Florida have recently reported multiple deaths from Vibrio vulnificus infections.
- The bacteria, sometimes called “flesh-eating,” live in brackish water and can infect people through open wounds or eating raw shellfish.
- While rare, infections can become life-threatening within hours, especially for those with underlying health conditions.
On the same day Florida reported its second death in two weeks from Vibrio vulnificus, the so-called “flesh-eating bacteria,” Louisiana reported five
A total of nine cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection have been reported in 2026 in the state, the Louisiana Department of Health reported. All nine patients had underlying health conditions and were hospitalized after wounds had been exposed to seawater, officials said
Vibrio vulnificus infections, which can be contracted by eating raw oysters or touching brackish waters where seawater and freshwater mix, are very rare. But those infections can rapidly become life-threatening in just a few hours, and victims may need emergency surgery — and in some cases amputation — to survive
Cases have increased in Louisiana in recent years. During the same period over the previous 10 years, Louisiana reported an annual average of seven cases and one death
Florida has reported 14 cases and two deaths as of Aug. 6, state health data shows. The deaths were reported in Palm Beach and Marion counties. In 2025, there were 33 cases reported in Florida, and five deaths
In Florida, infections are most common during prime boating, swimming, and seafood season in the warmer weather of June through September. Cases can also rise after tropical storms and hurricanes, as storm surge pushes seawater into freshwater environments
In Alabama, the Mobile County Health Department has reported 10 cases of vibriosis this year. The Mississippi Department of Health reported two cases in 2026
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus bacteria naturally live in brackish water, where fresh and salt water meet, including bays, estuaries, and much of Florida’s coastline. People are most often exposed by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or when an open wound, cut, or scrape comes into contact with brackish water
The bacterium is inaccurately nicknamed the “flesh-eating bacteria” because it can cause necrotizing fasciitis, a fast-spreading bacterial infection that can quickly result in tissue damage and spreading blisters, low blood pressure, fever, organ damage, sepsis, and even death
“Delay in seeking medical attention at the earliest signs of infection can lead to surgery, amputation of a limb and sometimes sepsis,” said Norman L. Beatty, M.D., FACP, FIDSA, associate professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases & global medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine. “That is why it is so important to see a medical provider immediately if there are concerns.”
About 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within hours of becoming ill, the CDC says
Some more at risk of ‘flesh-eating bacteria’
Anyone can get a Vibrio infection, health officials said, but most healthy people who come into contact with Vibrio bacteria don’t become seriously ill
For some groups, even a minor exposure can lead to an abrupt medical emergency, amputated limbs, or death. Those at higher risk include:
- People with liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, or thalassemia
- People receiving immunosuppressant therapy for the treatment of disease
- People taking medicine to decrease stomach acid levels
- People who have had recent stomach surgery
- Older adults with multiple underlying health issues
For people in these higher-risk groups, physicians often advise avoiding raw oysters entirely and staying out of the water during the summer months when they have open cuts, scrapes, or recently healed surgical wounds
What are the symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus?
According to the CDC, common symptoms of Vibrio infection may include:
- Watery diarrhea, often accompanied by stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever
- Bloodstream infection: fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions
- Wound infection, which may spread to the rest of the body: fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration, and discharge (leaking fluids)
“Cases steadily rise through the summer and peak in July and August in Florida,” Beatty said. “It is important to protect wounds from saltwater exposure to avoid the bacteria from entering the body at that site.”
If you experience these symptoms after eating raw seafood or being exposed to floodwaters, seek medical attention immediately. Healthcare professionals can treat the infection with antibiotics, but in extreme cases, arms and legs may need to be amputated to remove dead or infected tissue
Mike Snider, USA TODAY, contributed to this story
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY
