‘Something is off this year': Experts are stumped at the sudden spike in flesh-eating bacteria deaths
The bacteria flourish in warm seawater and can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a serious infection that rapidly damages surrounding tissue. Health officials report that Florida has recorded 16 cases this year. Seventeen cases have reported Louisiana, with seven and three cases also reported in North Carolina seven and Mississippi, respectively.
Vibrio vulnificus can enter the body through open wounds exposed to salty or brackish water and can also be contracted by eating contaminated raw seafood, particularly oysters. About 20 percent of those infected with this bacterium die from the infection.
Antarpreet Jutla, an engineering professor at the University of Florida, told NBC that infections remain rare but 'something is off this year.'
'This is certainly not normal, that's one thing,' Jutla said. 'We haven't had that many cases early on in the summer for a very long time.'
While Jutla said there are too many unknowns to be certain what is causing the spike, researchers are following some leads.
For one, his group is investigating why there is such high concentrations of plankton and chlorophyll in Florida's panhandle, which may be linked to the surge in Vibrio bacteria. Although most Vibrio species cause mild gastrointestinal illnesses, Vibrio vulnificus is particularly dangerous due to its rapid progression and severe symptoms.
Jutla also explained that Vibrio vulnificus infections often rise following hurricanes, which stir up bacteria in floodwaters. Florida recorded 82 cases last year, a number that may have been worsened by the 'extremely active' hurricane season, as the bacteria can persist in floodwaters caused by storms.
'Something happened this year that triggered the pathogens a little bit more than before,' he said.
People at greatest risk include those with liver disease, weakened immune systems, or who are over 65 years old. Symptoms typically appear within hours and include redness, swelling, painful blisters, and potentially life-threatening sepsis if untreated.
Health experts recommend covering any open wounds before entering ocean waters and seeking immediate medical attention if infection signs develop. Early treatment with antibiotics can prevent serious complications.
This year's infections and deaths have been reported across a wide range of Florida's coastline, including counties such as Bay County in the Panhandle, Hillsborough County near Tampa, Broward County in the southeast, and St. Johns County near Jacksonville.
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
I feared sharp chest pains at 25 were a heart attack – it was ‘popcorn lung' after vaping left ‘OIL filling my organs'
HAVING switched from smoking to vaping two years ago, Cloey Eyes thought she was avoiding the smell of smoke she hated so much, as well as opting for a healthier alternative. But when she woke up with sharp chest pains one morning and feared the worst - that she was having a heart attack and was going to die - she claims doctors discovered a sinister side effect of using e-cigarettes. 5 5 Cloey made the switch to vaping in August 2023 after smoking cigarettes for three years, mainly over her dislike of the smell. But when the mum-of-five woke up with "sharp" pains in her chest on July 12 this year, she called an ambulance as she feared she was having a heart attack. The 25-year-old was rushed to hospital in Ocala, Florida, where she was hooked up to oxygen and a heart monitor. But after undergoing tests, she was told she had "popcorn lung"-type injuries and claims doctors discovered an oily substance had been found building up in her lungs. Vaping has been known to lead to lipoid pneumonia, in which oily substances inhaled during vaping lead to a build-up in the lungs, causing inflammation and damage. The stay-at-home mum is now raising awareness about her vaping experience and is urging others to stop smoking them before it's too late. Cloey says: "I woke up at 2:30am in the morning and my chest felt like it was having a heart attack. "I had really bad pains in my chest and had to lean over. I couldn't catch my breath, and I had to hit myself in the chest multiple times to be able to catch my breath. "I was terrified at the pain, and I felt like I was going to die as I was scared I was going to not be able to breathe at all. "It was a sharp pain in my chest, but it also was a suffocating feeling. Teen told he was coughing up 'pints' of blood due to a stomach ulcer caused by kebabs - 'excessive vaping' was to blame "The ambulance came and got me, and I was taken to hospital, and they said my left lung had an oil pocket in it. "Around both my lungs was oil. It was scary to hear this. It's the oil from the vape, and this is thickening up as you hit it [the vape] and attaching itself to your lungs. "I technically at that point had popcorn lung. That's what they call it here." 'Non-stop' vaping Cloey said she would go through one 5000-puff disposable vape every two weeks and would use it "non-stop" due to the convenience. After staying overnight in hospital, she was discharged and prescribed antibiotics, an inhaler and cough suppressant medication. Cloey claims it will take a year for her lungs to heal completely and is now raising awareness to others about the dangers of vaping. As a person I would tell people to put the vape down, especially if you're a parent. You don't think it's going to happen to you. I didn't think it would Cloey Eyes She said: "I would smoke the vape every day non-stop. I used the vape more than when I smoked, as it was handy and right there. "I would never pick up a vape again, especially because I'm a mum. I went cold turkey and quit vaping. "I'm not struggling with it at all, as what happened to me scared me, and I don't want to do it anymore. "I feel 10 times better now as I have stopped completely. My lungs feel better, and I don't feel out of breath all the time. "As a person, I would tell people to put the vape down, especially if you're a parent. You don't think it's going to happen to you. I didn't think it would. "Even if you don't go through the pain, the amount of chemicals going through your lungs is probably knocking about 10 years off your life. "I turned 25 last Saturday and to think I could have lost my life from vaping is just not worth it." 5 5 What is 'popcorn lung'? Popcorn lung, also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, is a rare and severe lung disease caused by a build-up of scar tissue in the lungs, which then blocks the flow of air. The condition is caused by inhaling certain chemicals, like diacetyl - an organic compound which occurs naturally in alcoholic beverages and some cheeses and is added as a flavouring to some foods to impart its buttery flavour. Around the year 2000, a group of popcorn factory workers in the USA developed the condition, which led to the name 'popcorn lung'. Diacetyl was used as a flavouring in the popcorn, which meant workers were breathing in the chemical. Other common causes of bronchiolitis obliterans include infections, such as RSV and the flu, breathing in toxic chemicals like sulfur mustard gas, and autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Popcorn lung and vaping There haven't been any confirmed cases of popcorn lung linked to vaping. But people have connected the two because some of the liquids in e-cigarettes used to contain diacetyl. In the UK, diacetyl was banned in e-cigarettes and e-liquids under the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) in 2016. Another condition that's been linked to vaping and oil build-up in the lungs is lipoid pneumonia. As vaping involves heating e-liquids, which often contain oils, into an aerosol that is then inhaled, these oily substances can deposit in the lungs' air sacs (alveoli), leading to an inflammatory reaction and potentially lipoid pneumonia. Diagnosing vaping-associated lipoid pneumonia can be challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other lung conditions. But signs to look out for include a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever. IS VAPING HARMFUL? WHILE vaping is generally considered less harmful than smoking cigarettes, it's not completely harmless and its long-term effects are still being studied. 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The Sun
9 hours ago
- The Sun
I've lost 21st on Mounjaro after spending £600 on takeaways a month – but I was left with a frustrating side effect
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'I had to tuck my skin into my underwear' In July 2025, Joanna underwent skin removal surgery to remove 8 1/2lbs of excess skin. She said this has allowed her to become much more confident in herself. "My skin hang was so severe it hung so low, I had to tuck my skin into my underwear to even be able to go walking. "It was so frustrating to lose all that weight and have a constant reminder of how big I used to be. "Now I have the confidence to try new things, I went to an aerial workout class, and I would never have done that before now." Are you eligible for weight loss jabs on the NHS? By Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent THEY are arguably the biggest medical breakthrough of recent times. And now, so-called ' fat jabs ' are available to many more Brits on the NHS. In what marks the dawn of a new era, GPs have begun prescribing the weight loss jab Mounjaro in the first anti- obesity rollout of its kind. More than three million people are thought to be eligible for tirzepatide - the active drug in Mounjaro - the strongest jab on the market. Health chiefs hope it will turn the tide on England's obesity crisis which has seen rates double since the 1990s. Injections including Ozempic and Wegovy have previously only been available for type 2 diabetes or through specialist slimming clinics. Family doctors will now be encouraged to prescribe them in a bid to get more people on the meds. Experts hope widespread use will slash work sick days and boost the economy, while reducing rates of cancer, heart disease and dementia. But demand for the drugs is already huge and NHS clinics cannot dish them out fast enough. Who is eligible in the new rollout? The new rollout allows GPs to prescribe tirzepatide for weight loss, starting with those patients whose weight places them at greatest health risk. Top of the list will be those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher (or 37.5 if from a minority ethnic background) and four weight-related health conditions. A BMI of 40 is roughly equal to weighing 16st (102kg) for an average height 5'3' woman, or 19st 6lbs (123kg) for an average 5'9' man. Weight-related conditions include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea and heart disease. Patients will likely be expected to have tried diet and exercise first before being offered a jab. Many are likely to miss out, as some 13.5million adults in England are obese but only 3.4million are estimated to be eligible in the rollout. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'Currently only patients who meet certain criteria - those who could benefit most - are eligible to be prescribed weight loss drugs on the NHS, and GPs will also need to follow local guidelines when prescribing. 'If your practice advises you that they won't be able to provide weight loss medication, these will likely be the reasons why. 'We appreciate the idea of weight loss medication is an attractive prospect to many patients - and they do have a lot of potential benefits for patients and may be a valuable tool as we try to tackle obesity at a national level – but it's important these medications aren't seen as a silver bullet. 'Weight loss drugs do not come without risk, they can cause side effects which range in seriousness, and they won't be suitable for everyone. 'It's important we don't lose sight of the role lifestyle factors play in achieving a healthy weight. 'The roll out of weight loss medications as a treatment for obesity must not come at the expense of other weight loss services.' If you are eligible but your GP denies you a prescription, you may be able to ask for a referral to specialist weight management services. Known as tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services, they may prescribe the jabs after other weight loss attempts. Many people are expected to find it easier to go private, with the injections widely available from high street pharmacies like Boots, Superdrug, and even Asda. There are also numerous online pharmacies offering the drugs. Buying the drugs online might seem like the faster fix – but buyer beware. Slimming success stories are everywhere but so, too, are tales of horror. Many patients have been duped by dodgy sellers, suffered severe side effects or even died after taking jabs they bought online. Bargain prices, easy tick-box applications, or prescriptions with no follow-up, should all be red flags to online shoppers.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Rare and secretive creatures not seen in 33 years are found lurking in Florida wetlands
A rare amphibian once thought to have vanished from Florida has been found alive - more than three decades after its last documented sighting. Researchers waded through murky, blackwater streams in the state's northern wetlands and emerged with a remarkable discovery: nearly two dozen many-lined salamanders, a species not seen in Florida since 1991. The surprising find is detailed in a new study published in The Florida Field Naturalist by the Florida Ornithological Society, marking the first confirmed sightings of the elusive creature in 33 years. 'In general, we know relatively little about this salamander, but it has likely been impacted by the loss of wetland habitats throughout its range,' the study authors wrote. Native to coastal regions from northeast Florida to Virginia, the many-lined salamander had previously only been found in four Florida counties - Baker, Columbia, Nassau and Union - before seemingly vanishing. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the species sits at the southernmost edge of its range. Often described as 'secretive' and mostly aquatic, the salamander remains rare even in areas where it is known to live, herpetologists at the University of Georgia say. The FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute partnered with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and a private timberland company to launch a multi-year survey to determine whether the amphibian still called Florida home. Between 2022 and 2024, researchers scoured more than a dozen blackwater stream sites across north Florida, hoping to uncover any trace of the cryptic creature. 'In 2022, we searched for salamanders using a variety of aquatic amphibian survey techniques, including dredging, dip-netting and hand raking, to conduct regular time-based surveys at each site,' the authors wrote. But high water levels made some habitats impossible to probe - so the team got creative. They devised a novel technique using mesh bags filled with decaying leaves, placed on stream bottoms to mimic the mucky, debris-laden conditions the salamanders are thought to prefer. The creatures could crawl inside and hide, with researchers checking the bags regularly. In the end, they struck gold at just two locations: 17 salamanders were found in Osceola National Forest, and another six in John M. Bethea State Forest. Of the 23 discovered, eight were adults. Despite the breakthrough, researchers say it's still unclear how stable the population is. 'The species has long been considered rare in Florida and difficult to survey,' according to the paper. 'It is likely that the many-lined salamander has always been relatively uncommon in Florida, where it reaches the southern extent of its geographic range.' The salamander is listed as a species of greatest conservation need in Florida, and experts warn its fragile numbers could face further threats from climate change and habitat destruction. 'Species that occur on the periphery of their range are seldom prioritized for conservation action,' the study authors noted. 'Still, many-lined salamanders are a unique component of Florida's natural heritage.'
