Cape Cod swimmer infected with bacteria that can cause rare ‘flesh-eating' disease, health officials say
Vibrio
bacteria in coastal waters," according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Those who consume contaminated shellfish can also contract the disease, the advisory said, but no such cases have been confirmed in Massachusetts
as of this year.
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The alert was prompted by the confirmation of an extremely rare case of
Vibrio vulnificus
infection that was likely acquired while swimming in the coastal water of Buzzards Bay, the statement said.
It is the seventh confirmed case among Massachusetts residents in the last several years, including four that were likely exposed in state, health officials said.
The condition is 'extremely uncommon' and is preventable with appropriate precautions and wound care, Falmouth health officials said.
'Cape Cod's beaches are an important part of our economy, culture, and community,' Scott McGann, health agent for the town of Falmouth, said in a statement.
'By taking a few simple precautions, residents and visitors, and particularly anyone who is vulnerable or immunocompromised, can continue to enjoy them safely,' he said.
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Vibrio vulnificus
is a bacteria that lives in warm water and can cause necrotizing fasciitis, or 'flesh-eating disease,' according to the
'
Vibrio
bacteria normally live in warm, salt or brackish waters along the Atlantic coast,' Robbie Goldstein, the state's public health commissioner, said in a statement.
'Heat waves and above-average water surface temperatures create favorable conditions for
Vibrio
bacteria to grow, making May through October generally the peak season for these bacteria,' Goldstein said.
'People with open wounds who spend time in the water, or those who consume contaminated shellfish, can develop an infection when the bacteria enter the body,' Goldstein said. 'Sometimes these infections can spread through the bloodstream and cause severe, even life-threatening illness.'
There are several species of
Vibrio
bacteria that can cause human illness. From 2015 to 2024, there was an average of 88 cases of the various Vibrio infections per year in Massachusetts, according to the state department of public health.
There were 62 cases in 2020, and 127 in 2024, the department said. Most of the infections arose from consuming contaminated shellfish, state health officials said.
Symptoms range from fever, to redness, pain, swelling and warmth in the wound area, as well as discoloration and discharge.
Although
Vibrio vulnificus
infections are most common in the warm waters of the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Florida, rising water temperatures are contributing to more cases arising further north,
This year, there have been 17 cases in Louisiana, 16 in Florida, and seven in North Carolina. Florida has reported five deaths so far, the most of any state, CBS reported.
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According to Barnstable County health officials, those at highest risk of infection are people with liver disease, diabetes, weakened immune systems, and chronic illnesses.
Pregnant women, older adults, and young children also should take extra precautions. And people with open cuts, scrapes, or fresh tattoos should avoid swimming or wading, state health officials said.
Waters cannot be tested for the
Vibrio vulnificus
bacteria.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at
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