The Brief
- Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria, is spreading in Gulf and East Coast waters during peak summer months.
- Louisiana and Florida have reported multiple deaths, while Massachusetts recently confirmed a case on Cape Cod.
- Experts warn climate change may be driving the bacteria northward as coastal waters warm.
Health officials are warning beachgoers to be cautious in coastal waters after reports of deadly infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria that thrives in warm seawater and brackish environments.
The bacteria is considered the most dangerous of more than a dozen Vibrio species. While cases remain relatively rare, Vibrio vulnificus infections are highly lethal, killing about one in five people who become infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus lives in coastal waters, especially in warm temperatures and moderate salt levels found in bays, estuaries, and lagoons. Infections are most common from May through October.
People typically become infected when the bacteria enters through small cuts, scrapes, piercings, or surgical wounds after exposure to seawater. Others fall ill after eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters.…