I’m sure you’ve seen the many memes about Florida and its quirks that circulate on social media: the steamy weather, the gators, the hot pavement, the mercurial weather … the list goes on. Lately, another danger has been stealing the headlines: flesh-eating bacteria.
As of press time for this publication, Vibrio vulnificus has caused four fatalities in Florida. The fatal cases occurred in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough, and St. Johns counties.
According to the Florida Department of Health, Vibrio vulnificus is a naturally occurring bacterium found in warm salt water and brackish water. People become infected when they eat infected shellfish, swallow seawater, or wade into affected water with an open wound…