Flesh-eating bacteria have caused several deaths in Florida and Louisiana this summer. How to reduce your risk of Vibrio vulnificus infection before swimming in the ocean.
Health officials in several states are alerting residents about a flesh-eating bacteria that thrives in warm coastal waters.
Approximately 60 cases of Vibrio vulnificus have been confirmed in 11 states, according to Today. The highest numbers have been in Louisiana (17 cases, including 4 deaths) and Florida (16 cases, including 5 deaths). North Carolina has also seen 7 cases, Yahoo News confirmed with the state's Department of Health and Human Services via email.
Vibrio vulnificus cases are considered rare, with between 150 and 200 infections reported in the U.S. each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic. However, many people with an infection can become seriously ill, requiring intensive care or limb amputation. 'About 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill,' according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Does this mean you should avoid the ocean altogether? Here's what to know and what safety measures to keep in mind:
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
Vibrio are a type of bacteria that thrive in warm coastal waters during the summer months from May to October. This includes salt water and brackish water, which is a mixture of salt and freshwater often found where rivers meet the ocean. The bacteria are found particularly along the Gulf Coast states like Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama and Mississippi.
There are different kinds of Vibrio that can lead to various infections. Vibrio vulnificus can be particularly dangerous because it can cause severe and life-threatening infections. This specific type of bacteria is known as 'flesh-eating' because it can destroy muscle tissue and skin. 'Many people with [Vibrio] vulnificus wound infection require intensive care or surgical tissue removal,' the CDC says.
How do people get infected?
There are two ways that people can get infected:
When a person's open wound is exposed to ocean water or seafood contaminated with Vibrio bacteria. A small cut, scrape or wound from a recent surgery, piercing or tattoo can allow bacteria in. This can happen when a person goes swimming or fishing or prepares raw seafood.
When someone eats raw or undercooked seafood or ingests contaminated water while swimming. Oysters, in particular, can concentrate the Vibrio bacteria inside them.
What are the symptoms of a Vibrio infection?
These are the common signs and symptoms of a Vibrio infection, according to the CDC:
Watery diarrhea
Stomach cramps
Nausea and vomiting
Fever/chills
Signs of a Vibrio bloodstream infection:
Fever/chills
Dangerously low blood pressure
Blistering skin lesions
Signs of a Vibrio wound infection:
Fever
Pain, redness, swelling, warmth at the wound site
Redness
Pain
Swelling
Warmth
Discoloration (turning a color other than normal)
Discharge (leaking fluids)
The Cleveland Clinic and the CDC advise people to go to the emergency room immediately if there are signs of a suspected Vibrio vulnificus infection.
Are some people more at risk of an infection?
Anyone can become infected with the bacteria through a wound. People with underlying health conditions like liver disease, diabetes and immunocompromising conditions are at higher risk for wound infection, according to the CDC.
How can people stay safe?
Florida's Health Department and the CDC provide some tips to prevent Vibrio vulnificus infections:
Don't eat raw oysters and other raw shellfish. Instead, cook them thoroughly.
Avoid cross contamination with raw seafood and other cooked food or shellfish.
If you have an open wound or broken skin, avoid warm salt or brackish water, if possible.
Cover your wound with a waterproof bandage if it could come into contact with coastal water, raw seafood or its drippings or juices.
Wear protective gloves or clothing when handling raw shellfish.
Be vigilant after coastal floods, hurricanes and storm surges. Coastal waters forced into inland areas increase the risk for Vibrio wound infections, particularly for people who are older or who have underlying health conditions.
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