As temperatures continue to swelter and people flock to the Gulf Coast to enjoy its warm, salty waters, health officials are warning swimmers about a “flesh-eating” bacteria that has killed at least eight people this summer.
The bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, is commonly associated with the “flesh-eating” moniker thanks to its ability to cause infections that damage or “eat away” at skin and tissue. This year, Louisiana is reporting an abnormally high rate of infection.
“Amid increasing water temperatures and extreme weather events (e.g., heat waves, flooding, and severe storms), people who are at increased risk for V. vulnificus infection (those with weakened immune systems and conditions like liver disease, diabetes and kidney failure) … should exercise caution when engaging in coastal water activities,” said a Louisiana Department of Health warning issued July 30.
Despite the increase in cases, Vibrio vulnificus infections are still rare. Even so, experts have advised that people in coastal areas exercise extra caution while enjoying the waning days of summer. Here’s what to know.
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Where are flesh-eating bacteria cases in the US? How common is it?
Louisiana has reported the highest number of Vibrio vulnificus infections in a decade, with 17 reported cases and hospitalizations, including four deaths, as of July 30. This is compared to the 10 years prior, which saw an average of only seven cases and one death a year during the same time period.
Florida has likewise reported four deaths caused by Vibrio vulnificus infections as of July 24. The state has counted 13 total cases, a rate that isn’t necessarily abnormal at this point in the year, according to Florida health data.
An average of 150 to 200 cases are reported each year, with most of them in Gulf Coast states, according to CDC data.
USA TODAY has reached out to health departments in other coastal states regarding possible cases.
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that causes a serious infection called vibriosis. Different types of Vibrio bacteria cause different infections, with Vibrio vulnificus causing the “most serious forms of vibriosis,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The potentially fatal infection can quickly result in tissue damage and spreading blisters, low blood pressure, fever, organ damage, sepsis and death.
Vibrio vulnificus is often referred to as “flesh-eating” because it can also cause necrotizing fasciitis, a bacterial infection that destroys muscle and skin tissue, causing flesh around wounds to die, according to the CDC. Vibrio vulnificus is not considered the most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis in the United States, however.
The bacteria and resulting infections are rare but can be life-threatening. Without treatment, patients can die in just a few days.
How does ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria enter the body?
Vibrio vulnificus requires salt water for survival and thrives in warm, brackish water where a stream or river meets seawater, according to the CDC.
Most infections occur when contaminated water is swallowed or gets into an open wound, such as a cut or scrape. It can enter through broken skin but cannot penetrate unharmed skin. Vibrio vulnificus can also enter your body when you eat uncooked or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters. In fact, raw oysters and other seafood, along with seawater exposure, are the most common sources of Vibrio outbreaks tracked by the CDC.
Once inside the body, the infection can spread to the blood and organs, usually within a matter of hours.
Symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus infection
Symptoms of a Vibrio vulnificus infection begin suddenly and quickly, usually less than 24 hours after exposure, according to the CDC and the Cleveland Clinic.
Common symptoms include:
Fever and chills
A red, warm or swollen patch of skin or rash that spreads quickly and causes pain
Fluid-filled blisters and skin discoloration
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Low blood pressure (often indicated by weakness, dizziness, fatigue and fainting)
Confusion or altered mental state
Rapid heartbeat
How to protect yourself against Vibrio vulnificus
When consuming seafood, the CDC advises, you should:
Cook seafood, including oysters, before consuming.
Thoroughly clean surfaces that may have come in contact with raw seafood and its drippings.
Thoroughly wash your hands after handling raw seafood. If you are at high risk, wear gloves.
When swimming, you should:
Avoid entering salt water or brackish water if you have any open wounds. That includes recent surgical sites, fresh tattoos and piercings, and even minor cuts or scrapes.
Cover any open wounds if you may come into contact with coastal waters or raw seafood, even if you don’t plan to be directly exposed to either. Exposure also can occur during flooding caused by storms.
Immediately wash any area of open skin with soap and running water after contact with coastal water or raw seafood.
If you are at increased risk (people with weakened immune systems and conditions like liver disease, diabetes and kidney failure), wear protective shoes and clothes when in or near coastal waters.
Contributing: Janet Loehrke
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Flesh-eating’ bacteria cases are on the rise in U.S. What to know.
