‘Flesh-eating' bacteria linked to first Florida deaths of 2025; one near Jacksonville
As of July 11, two cases have been reported in Northeast Florida, including one that led to the death of a St. Johns County resident.
The other three fatalities in Florida have occurred in Bay, Broward and Hillsborough counties.
Last year, there were a record 82 cases and 19 deaths, most of them after October, when large areas of the state were flooded by back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton. Vibrio vulnificus requires brackish saltwater to spread.
Nationwide, vibriosis from Vibrio vulnificus and other Vibrio bacteria causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio vulnificus is a naturally occurring bacterial infection found in brackish seawater. People can contract it by exposing open cuts or wounds to the water or by eating raw or undercooked seafood. The FDOH did not specify the sources of the new cases.
If the bacteria infect a person, they can cause the skin and soft tissue around a wound to quickly break down. Treatment may require limb amputation to stop the rapid flesh deterioration, and the infection can be fatal.
Is there any 'flesh-eating' bacteria in Jacksonville?
Locally, only one case has been identified in Duval County, but based on records by the Florida Health Department, no deaths have been reported in Jacksonville as of 2025.
How many people have died from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida? Where?
According to the FDOH, 4 people have died so far in 2025, as of Friday, July 11:
Bay County: 1
Broward County: 1
Hillsborough County: 1
St. Johns: 1
Between 2008 and 2025, 178 people in Florida have died from Vibrio vulnificus, according to FDOH records.
How many cases of flesh-eating bacteria have been reported in Florida? Where?
According to the FDOH, 11 cases have been reported so far in 2025, as of Friday, July 11:
Bay County: 1
Broward County: 1
Escambia County: 1
Hillsborough County: 1
Lee County: 1
Manatee County: 1
St. Johns County: 2
Santa Rosa County: 1
Walton County: 1
Latest conditions: Is the water safe to swim or fish near Jacksonville, Florida?
More conditions: How is the water at Jacksonville's beaches?
Where are the flesh-eating bacteria in Florida?
The Vibrio vulnificus bacteria can be found in raw or undercooked seafood, saltwater, and brackish water, which is created when fresh water from a river or lake meets the salty water of the sea.
Flooding spreads brackish water into places it doesn't usually get to, and people working in floodwaters during and after storms are susceptible.
Vibrio vulnificus, while rare, can be life-threatening. Some Vibrio vulnificus infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection in which the flesh around an open wound dies. Without treatment, death can occur in just a few days.
People with compromised immune systems, liver disease, or open wounds are at higher risk for Vibrio vulnificus, the FDOH said.
What are the symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus or 'flesh-eating bacteria'?
(WARNING: AN IMAGE BELOW MAY BE TOO GRAPHIC FOR SOME AUDIENCES)
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).
If you experience these symptoms after 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.
"Many people with Vibrio vulnificus infection require intensive care or limb amputations," the CDC said on their site, "and about 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill."
Do 'flesh-eating bacteria' actually eat flesh?
No, but it does kill it. Vibrio vulnificus can cause necrotizing fasciitis that kills human tissue, including the skin and outer layer surrounding muscles, nerves, fat, blood vessels and organs.
Calling it 'flesh-eating bacteria' is inaccurate, − though a common reference − because (1) it kills tissue, but does not eat it; and (2) it cannot penetrate intact skin, but must enter through an existing break in the skin.
Can you get the flesh-eating bacteria from another person?
"There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission of Vibrio vulnificus," the FDOH said.
How can I avoid contracting Vibrio vulnificus?
According to the FDOH and CDC:
Avoid exposure of open wounds or broken skin to warm salt or brackish water, especially flood water, or to raw shellfish harvested from such waters. Stay out of the water, or cover your wound with a waterproof bandage.
Immediately wash wounds and cuts thoroughly with soap and water after they have contact with saltwater, brackish water, raw seafood, or its juices.
Seek immediate medical care if a wound develops redness, swelling, or oozing, or other signs of infection such as fever, increasing pain, shortness of breath, fast or high heart rate, or confusion or disorientation.
Do not eat raw oysters or other raw shellfish.
Eat shellfish promptly after cooking and refrigerate leftovers.
Cook them thoroughly: Boil shellfish in the shell until the shells open and then for 5 more minutes, or steam them until the shells open and then for 9 more minutes. Boil shucked oysters for at least 3 minutes or fry them in oil for at least 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Do not eat shellfish that does not open during cooking.
Avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other foods with raw seafood and juices from raw seafood. Wear protective clothing (e.g., gloves) when handling raw shellfish.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Vibrio vulnificus: 1 dead in Northeast FL from flesh-eating bacteria
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where 100-Year Floods Have Hit Across the US Over Past Year
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The term "100-year flood" implies that the event is a rare occurrence; however, dozens of such storms have inundated the United States over the past year alone, prompting concern that they are occurring more frequently as the Earth's climate continues to warm. Why It Matters Flooding is the second-deadliest weather hazard in the U.S., next to extreme heat. Devastating flood events have made headlines numerous times this year, including a 1,000-year atmospheric river event that hit the Midwest and South in April and the deadly floods that inundated Central Texas over the July 4th weekend. The frequency of such flooding rainstorms, which often go hand-in-hand with death and destruction, is alarming. What's even more concerning is that AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek that these events are happening more frequently. What To Know In 2024, dozens of 100-year rainstorms struck the U.S. Each point is marked on the map below, created by Colorado State University. The points marking each event are widespread, with only a few states escaping unscathed. Last year wasn't a one-time occurrence, either. This year is also "shaping up to be one of the most flood-impacted summers on record in the United States," AccuWeather reported. A map from Colorado State University shows where 100-year rainstorm events were documented in 2024. A map from Colorado State University shows where 100-year rainstorm events were documented in 2024. Colorado State University What Is a 100-Year Flood? The United States Geological Service (USGS) describes the term "100-year flood" as an attempt "to simplify the definition of a flood that statistically has a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year." Where Did 100-Year Rainstorms Hit in 2024? On the CSU map, countless points pepper the Eastern Seaboard around North Carolina and South Carolina after Hurricane Helene struck in September. Others show the devastating impact of the summer monsoon season in New Mexico, which caused deserts to flood and cars to become stranded as water washed over a highway. Vermont faced catastrophic floods in late July. Central Texas, known as Flash Flood Alley, experienced several 100-year rainstorms last year, as did Florida, with a scattershot of points dated as occurring during the Atlantic hurricane season. There was also an onslaught of precipitation that hit South Dakota in June 2024, as well as a similar storm that measured as a 100-year event at several locations in Missouri in November, among others. Only a few states emerged unscathed, including Iowa, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts, but most of the U.S. experienced some form of severe flooding precipitation last year. Why Are 100-Year Floods Occurring More Frequently? The map's creator, Russ Schumacher, a professor of atmospheric sciences at CSU and a CSU climatologist, told Newsweek that improved technology, such as radar, provides better access to data, which can make it seem as if the flood events are happening more frequently. However, he also stressed the impact of climate change. "The physics of climate change tells us that we should see these extreme events more frequently," he said. As the atmosphere grows warmer through global warming, its ability to hold moisture increases, DaSilva told Newsweek. "This is why in the wintertime, we typically don't see too much flash flooding in the wintertime," DaSilva said. "It's too cold, and there's snow, of course, but it's hard to get the moisture content you need for heavy rain events in the wintertime because it's cooler out. In the summertime obviously the temperature is above freezing, but the atmosphere can hold more water content. There's more moisture to squeeze out." Which States Have Increased Flood Risk? As the atmosphere's ability to hold moisture increases, DaSilva told Newsweek that states in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys are becoming wetter, while areas like California are becoming drier. What People Are Saying AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek: "When the atmosphere is getting warmer as a what it's doing is making summer warmer and the shoulder seasons warmer as well. What's happening is those seasons, especially in the summertime, the [atmosphere's] ability to hold more moisture is going up as well." DaSilva added: "It doesn't guarantee we will see more rain over a certain area, it rains, it's going to rain heavier." The USGS in a webpage about 100-year flood events: "In other words, over the course of 1 million years, these events would be expected to occur 10,000 times. But, just because it rained 10 inches in one day last year doesn't mean it can't rain 10 inches in one day again this year." What Happens Next As the probability of heavy rain events increases, people are advised to have a flood plan in place before such an event occurs in their area. People should also never drive on a flooded roadway, as most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
Axios
3 days ago
- Axios
RFK Jr. greenlights removing preservative from flu shots
The Health and Human Services Department on Wednesday said it adopted a recommendation from Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine advisers to remove from all influenza shots a preservative that anti-vaccine activists have suggested is linked to autism. Why it matters: The move hinged on the widely discredited belief that the mercury-containing compound, thimerosal, is harmful at the level at which it's included in vaccines. Despite the lack of evidence of harm, most Americans who get flu vaccines already receive products without thimerosal. The latest: Kennedy, in a statement, said the action fulfilled a promise to protect vulnerable populations from unnecessary mercury exposure. "Injecting any amount of mercury into children when safe, mercury-free alternatives exist defies common sense and public health responsibility," Kennedy said. "Today, we put safety first." The Centers for Disease Control customarily acts on such recommendations. But because the CDC lacks a full-time political leader, Kennedy signed the recommendation. HHS said that vaccine manufacturers confirmed that they have the capacity to replace multi-dose vials containing the preservative so that the federal Vaccines for Children program and adult vaccine supplies won't be interrupted. Kennedy's handpicked vaccine advisors voted 5-1 last month to no longer recommend that that Americans get flu shots containing thimerosal, following a presentation from a retired nurse and former president of Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group with close ties to Kennedy.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Deadly 'flesh-eating bacteria' can thrive at the beach. How to stay safe.
A rare "flesh-eating bacteria" that lives in warm saltwater has led to at least four deaths this year, but some simple safety precautions can keep you safe while on vacation. The bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, most often causes infection through open wounds and the consumption of undercooked or raw seafood. That has caused worries for some vacationers and residents in the Gulf Coast, especially in Florida where infections are most prevalent. Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Health said the bacteria led to four deaths in four counties across the state and made at least seven people ill in 2025. Vibrio vulnificus is not the only microscopic threat sparking worry among swimmers and vacationers. A children's hospital in South Carolina recently confirmed one of its patients died of Naegleria fowleri, a "brain-eating amoeba" that thrives in warm fresh water sources like lakes and streams. While Vibrio vulnificus and the rarer Naegleria fowleri don't share much in common, both are fueled by warm temperatures and may be becoming more prevalent due to climate change, studies show. Here's how you can limit your risk of exposure to these dangerous infections. How to avoid Vibrio vulnificus First, the good news: infections are rare, with an an average of 150 to 200 cases reported each year to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most of them in Gulf Coast states. And while the "flesh-eating bacteria" can be deadly, Vibrio vulnificus does not technically eat tissue. If the bacteria enters the body through a cut, scrape or wound, it can cause necrotizing fasciitis, and the flesh around the infection site could die. The bacteria cannot penetrate unharmed skin and can only can enter through an existing break. Most infections occur when people swallow contaminated water or get it in an open wound. Another source of infection is contaminated raw or undercooked seafood, especially shellfish such as oysters. Below are some tips to avoid Vibrio vulnificus, according to the Florida Department of Health and the CDC. Stay out of saltwater and brackish water (fresh water mixed with saltwater) if you have an open wound or cut. If you get a cut while you are in the water, leave the water immediately. If your open wounds and cuts could come in contact with salt water, brackish water or raw or undercooked seafood, cover them with a waterproof bandage. Cook shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels) thoroughly. Avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other foods with raw seafood and juices from raw seafood. Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw shellfish. Seek medical attention right away for infected wounds. How to avoid catching a brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri is often called a "brain-eating amoeba" because it can infect the brain and destroy brain tissue, according to the CDC. The agency says if water contaminated with the amoeba reaches the brain through the nose, it can cause a rare but deadly infection. From 2011 to 2022, the CDC received reports of about 40 infections nationwide. The amoeba can be found in warm fresh water sources but has been detected in poorly maintained pools, splash pads and even tap water. Here are some tips on how to avoid Naegleria fowleri. When jumping or diving into fresh water, hold your nose or wear a nose clip. In hot springs, keep your head above water. Don't dig in shallow water because the ameba is more likely to live there. Use distilled or boiled tap water when rinsing your sinuses or cleansing your nasal passages. Remember: You cannot get infected from drinking water where the ameba is present, it can only cause infection through the nose. Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, Thao Nguyen, Gabe Hauari and Mike Snider, USA TODAY; Nina Tran, Greenville News; C.A. Bridges, USA TODAY Network - Florida This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Flesh-eating bacteria' at Florida beaches? How to say safe.
