Latest news with #FloridaDepartmentOfHealth
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida currently leads the nation in Vibrio vulnificus infections, but how common is it?
Florida currently leads the nation in Vibrio vulnificus infections, but how common is it? Florida has reported four deaths associated with a "flesh-eating" bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus, which has seemingly set off a bit of panic throughout the state. There have been 11 confirmed cases of Vibrio vulnificus and four deaths, according to data published by the Florida Department of Health on July 11, putting the state more or less in line with the average number of cases by July (16.5). Escambia and Santa Rosa counties also reported their first cases of flesh-eating bacteria of the year, each reported a single count. 'Flesh-eating' bacteria: 2 cases found in Escambia, Santa Rosa counties Like the rest of Florida, the Pensacola area is no stranger to Vibrio vulnificus cases. In 2019, the News Journal reported on a Pensacola man who nearly died after contracting flesh-eating bacteria while fishing in his kayak in Big Lagoon. The man noticed his right leg began to hurt a few hours after he got home. After another 15 to 20 minutes, he said a boil came up 'out of nowhere' and he was unable to walk. After a long stay at Ascension Sacred Heart and at least 10 surgeries, he had to learn to talk again. Over the past 10 years, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, on average, have reported fewer than a handful of Vibrio vulnificus cases annually. Flesh-eating bacteria are a dangerous virus, but thankfully rare to encounter. If you're concerned about contracting it, here's what to know to prevent it. Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have had 48 confirmed flesh-eating bacteria cases since 2015 Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have averaged around 3.4 and 1.8 annual cases of flesh-eating bacteria between 2015 and 2024, respectively, according to the Florida Department of Health. Both counties saw the highest number of cases in the nine-year period in 2022, when Escambia County had five confirmed cases and Santa Rosa County had four. For Florida as a whole, 2022 saw the second-highest number of reported flesh-eating bacteria cases at 74. The highest number was 83, which was reported in 2024. Does Pensacola Beach have flesh-eating bacteria? Vibrio vulnificus bacteria are naturally occurring in warm saltwater and brackish water, which is a mixture of saltwater and freshwater, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vibrio can be found in waters throughout Florida, but not all Vibrio bacteria cause the sort of flesh-eating infection that leads to necrotizing fasciitis, which is when the infection kills flesh surrounding an open wound. To complicate matters, swimming in contaminated waters isn't the only way to become infected. Another source of infection is contaminated raw or undercooked seafood, especially shellfish such as oysters. Florida has averaged around 54 annual cases of flesh-eating bacteria since 2015 Florida leads the nation in Vibrio vulnificus infections, though spikes in cases and deaths tend to coincide with major hurricanes, when seawater is carried on shore, triggering flooding and dumping seawater into freshwater sources. Between 2015 and 2024, Florida averaged 54 Vibrio vulnificus cases and about 11 deaths each year. The state saw an uptick in cases and deaths in 2022 when Hurricane Ian battered communities along the southwest coast, leading to 74 reported cases and 17 deaths. Last year, the state recorded 82 cases and 19 deaths – a surge health officials tied to a pair of damaging hurricanes, Helene and Milton. How many people have died from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida? 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? 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 How you can prevent becoming infected from flesh-eating bacteria It's difficult to completely avoid potentially coming into contact with Vibrio in Florida if you enjoy seafood or the beach. Here are some tips from the health department on preventing Vibrio vulnificus. Do not eat raw oysters or other raw shellfish. Cook shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels) thoroughly. For shellfish in the shell, either a) boil until the shells open and continue boiling for 5 more minutes, or b) steam until the shells open and then continue cooking for 9 more minutes. Do not eat those shellfish that do not open during cooking. Boil shucked oysters at least 3 minutes, or fry them in oil at least 10 minutes at 375°F. Avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other foods with raw seafood and juices from raw seafood. Eat shellfish promptly after cooking and refrigerate leftovers. Avoid exposure of open wounds or broken skin to warm salt or brackish water, or to raw shellfish harvested from such waters. Wear protective clothing (e.g., gloves) when handling raw shellfish. Can flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus be treated? Yes and it's crucial that anyone who believes they are infected seek medical attention as soon as possible. Severe or prolonged Vibrio infections are treated with antibiotics. Vibrio wound infection is treated with antibiotics and surgery to remove dead or infected tissue, according to the CDC. In serious situations, surgery may include amputation. The CDC doesn't recommend antibiotics to treat mild Vibrio infections. Anyone experiencing diarrhea or vomiting should drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. What are the symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus? Common symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus infection include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever, according to the CDC. When open wounds are exposed to contaminated salt or brackish water, Vibrio vulnificus can cause discoloration, swelling, skin breakdown and ulcers. The bacteria can also invade the bloodstream and threaten severe and life-threatening illnesses such as septic shock, especially for those with pre-existing conditions. "Vibrio vulnificus bloodstream infections are fatal about 50 percent of the time," according to the Florida Department of Health. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Is 'flesh-eating' bacteria common in the Pensacola area? Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'Flesh-eating' bacteria: 2 cases found in Escambia, Santa Rosa counties
Eleven people have contracted Vibrio vulnificus, the so-called "flesh-eating" bacteria, and two of the cases were reported in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties respectively. Vibrio vulnificusa 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. Four people have died from it so far in 2025, according to the Florida Department of Health. The deaths were in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough and St. Johns counties, the FDOH reported on July 11. If the bacteria infects a person, it 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. 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 vulnificusa 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). How many people have died from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida? According to the FDOH, four 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? 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 What is Vibrio vulnificus? 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 its site, "and about 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill." Does 'flesh-eating bacteria' actually eat flesh? While colloquially known as a "flesh-eating bacteria," vibrio vulnificus technically kills flesh rather than "eats" 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. It cannot penetrate intact skin, but must enter through an existing break in the skin. 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 Pensacola News Journal: 'Flesh-eating' bacteria in Florida cases reach 11, 4 deaths in 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Rare flesh-eating bacteria has already killed four beachgoers in Florida this year
Florida has already seen four deaths tied to a flesh-eating bacteria this year. State health authorities have reported 11 infections with fatal cases in Central Florida's Bay, Broward, Hillsborough, and St. Johns counties. "There's a lot of bacteria that just live in different areas, even in, like, waterborne spots," Dr. Daniel Egan, an infectious disease specialist at Orlando Health, explained to WESH. "So there's fresh water, salt water, and this bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus likes salt water." Vibrio vulnificus infections are rare, but naturally occur in brackish seawater. Cases often spread through open cuts. A person may also be infected when they eat raw shellfish, and the bacterium is frequently found in oysters from warm coastal waters. Most healthy individuals experience mild disease following exposure, including symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, fever, chills, high heart rate, and disorientation. However, if the bacterium invades the bloodstreams of those with weakened immune systems, people may be affected by fever, chills, septic shock and skin lesions. Sometimes, infection may even result in amputation, and rare cases may cause necrotizing fasciitis, when the flesh around an open wound dies. Antibiotics and wound care should be given to patients immediately, the Florida Department of Health says. Infections that enter the bloodstream are fatal about 50 percent of the time. One in five people who contract infection die, sometimes within just a couple of days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, cases have been on the rise in recent year and last year reached record levels. The department reported 19 deaths and 82 cases -- marking an increase of seven deaths and nearly double the tally of cases in 2023. Notably, Vibrio vulnificus is underreported. Before 2007, there was no national surveillance system for the bacterium. Last year's 'unusual' influx of cases was tied to late-season hurricanes that pounded Florida and the Southeast. Cases more than doubled following Hurricanes Milton and Helene, with saltwater moving inland and people coming in contact with water that they normally wouldn't. Dr. Kami Kim, director of infectious disease at Tampa General Hospital and the USF Health Department of Internal Medicine, told WUSF that storm surge can also contaminate other sources of water, such as freshwater rivers and lakes. With the climate crisis, these risks are becoming more common. A hotter climate provides all the ingredients of stronger and more frequent hurricanes and other storms, including record sea surface temperatures. Climate change is forecast to increase the costs of infections with bacterium that require salt, according to the Department of Agriculture, rising from nearly $2.6 billion in 1995 to a projected $6.1 billion in 2090. People can avoid exposure by not eating raw shellfish, not exposing open wounds to warm salt or brackish water, and wearing gloves and other protective clothing. But, the problem isn't going away any time soon, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University. A 2023 study found that Vibrio pathogens are adapting to 'stick' to microplastics. They can also combine with the smelly sargassum blooms that often plague Sunshine State shores. 'Think of all the plastic debris that just went into the water because of the hurricanes,' Mia McCormick, of the non-profit group Environment Florida, told Florida Phoenix.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida python challenge: Why state recommends not eating invasive snakes
Editor's note: This story originally published in 2024. Python hunter Bayo Hernandez prefers his snake ground up like hamburger meat with ketchup, mustard, and mayo. Another hunter fancies the slithering scourge of the Everglades in a stir fry or chili. And there's always celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's recipe for diced python in a lettuce wrap with shallots, pineapple, and jalapeno. But the Florida Department of Health has recently established an advisory of 'do not consume python' caught in the state no matter the snake size because of the risk of unhealthy mercury levels in its meat. The recommendation, which irks at least one scientist who said pythons caught in the southwestern part of the state have lower mercury levels, means a nascent scheme to assist in the cull of the apex predators by making them dinner-table fare is a no-go. 'It's unfortunate. I don't know how much help it would have been if people were consuming pythons, but it certainly doesn't hurt,' said Darren Rumbold, a Florida Gulf Coast University professor of marine and Earth science. Similar to fish, the department could have made portion recommendations or specified regions where mercury levels made it unsafe to eat animals caught there, Rumbold said. 'I think the health department was being overly cautious by saying let's not let anybody eat it,' he said. It's unclear when the python consumption advisory was issued. Multiple calls and emails to the department of health were not returned. But the toxicology results on 487 snakes reviewed by the department, and that led to the advisory, were explained in a March 8, 2024, letter to FWC's non-native wildlife coordinator McKayla Spencer, The letter, which was obtained through a request to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was from health department administrator Michael Mitchell. It notes that because there is no known meal size for snakes, the standard 8 ounces used for fish was also used in the python testing. In addition to testing mercury levels in fish harvested from both fresh and marine waters, Mitchell said the FWC has also tested mercury levels in pythons because 'consumers are asking if the meat is safe to eat.' More: Florida python hunter recounts bloody battle: 'She got me, son' The result by the health department in conjunction with FWC was a 'Do Not Consume Python' advisory. That doesn't mean its against the law to eat python, it's just not recommended, according to FWC's Python Challenge website. State officials monitor mercury levels because the naturally occurring chemical element is a neurotoxin that can impair brain functioning, harm the kidneys and damage the nervous systems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It's especially harmful to unborn babies and young children. Hernandez, who is a contract python hunter for the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), said he knows mercury levels can be high in pythons. It's not a meal he has every day. 'But there are many recipes out there and you can experiment,' he said. 'If you do it in chunks, it's very hard and chewy. How you season it is how it's going to taste.' More: Post archives: Legendary rock star hunts Burmese pythons in Florida Rumbold studied python mercury levels in areas near Naples. He published a paper in 2019 in the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology about the findings. His co-author was Ian Bartoszek of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Their study found lower mercury levels in southwest Florida snakes than those in Everglades National Park. Park pythons were found in a 2012 study by the U.S. Geological Survey to have 'astonishingly high' levels of mercury. Much of the mercury in Florida comes from pollution in the sky, raining down from towering clouds that grab it in the upper levels of the atmosphere. Burning coal, oil and wood can release mercury into the air. In Everglades National Park, the mercury can mix with sulfur coming from agriculture upstream. The sulfur oxidizes to sulfate, which energizes microbes that turn mercury into methylmercury, which is what accumulates in the food chain. Because it's drier in southwest Florida, there's less mercury-heavy fish being consumed by animals that are then consumed by pythons, Rumbold said. 'The mercury biomagnifies as it gets passed through the food chain. The more pythons are integrated into an aquatic food web, the likelier they are to have mercury,' Rumbold said. The 2019 study also found little correlation between python size, age and mercury level. In the ocean, the largest, oldest fish that have been feeding on smaller prey generally have the highest concentrations of mercury. Rumbold thinks the health department could have selectively chosen to allow python consumption from snakes caught in the southwest area of the state, similar to advisories issued for fish based on where they are caught. 'They don't want to have to monitor pythons over time, so they don't want to issue anything that is region specific,' Rumbold said. Florida earnestly began hunting pythons in about 2012. In 2017, the South Florida Water Management District and FWC began a more structured program to hire python hunters. More than 14,500 pythons have been removed since the FWC and the district teamed up to combat the invasive species. The most pythons removed in a single year was 2,629 in 2020. The hype around Florida's python hunters and the annual Python Challenge has attracted rocker Ozzy Osbourne, who participated in a hunt for his show 'Ozzy & Jack's World Detour.' Chef Gordon Ramsey caught and cooked a python for his show 'The F Word.' Ramsay said the python was dry and sinewy, so he added bacon fat and ground it up the way Hernandez likes it. Hernandez said he also eats invasive iguanas. 'Whenever my kids come over I surprise them,' Hernandez said. 'If you ask my oldest son what is the weirdest thing he's eaten, he will say, 'I don't know, ask my dad.'' Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida's environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@ Help support our local journalism, subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Burmese pythons: Florida snakes can be eaten but mercury levels high
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Flesh-eating bacteria kill four in Florida after terrifying surge in infections... how to stay safe
Health officials have issued an urgent warning over deadly, flesh-eating bacteria spreading on beaches across the US. The Florida Department of Health announced this week that four residents have died from vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters. Another nine cases have been confirmed this year, the department said. Last year, 82 cases and 19 deaths occurred in the state, which officials said is due to the impact of Hurricane Ian. Deaths this year occurred in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough and St Johns counties, all of which are found on the Florida coasts. No further information has been released about the victims. Vibrio vulnificus enters the body through even the smallest of scrapes, infiltrating the bloodstream. From there, it releases enzymes and toxins that break down proteins, fats and collagen, destroying skin and muscle tissue. It also evades the immune system's defenses while triggering a widespread inflammatory response that causes even more tissue damage. Reduced blood flow to the infected area worsens this damage, ultimately leading to the death of tissue beneath the skin. This results in amputations to try and cut away the infection or, in severe cases, death. Vibrio requires warm water to grow and proliferate, making the southern coasts prime breeding grounds. However, colder regions are becoming gradually more hospitable as ocean temperatures rise, attracting and nurturing colonies of the bacteria. Vibrio infections have been confirmed on the East coast, Alaska, the Baltic Sea, and Chile, which scientists now believe could be the next hotspots. The CDC has not issued an annual report on vibrio in the US since 2019, when 2,685 infections were reported. Previous reviews on East Coast states from 1988 through 2018 showed vibrio wound infections increased eightfold, from about 10 cases to more than 80 annually. Vibrio vulnificus can also infect a person who eats raw or undercooked shellfish, causing painful abdominal cramps and diarrhea, and, in cases where the bacteria enter the bloodstream, sepsis and death. The CDC estimates that 80,000 Americans are infected with vibrio every year, although there are only 1,200 to 2,000 confirmed cases annually, as it is often misdiagnosed. Vibriosis, the infection caused by the bacteria, is typically treated with antibiotics, specifically doxycycline and ceftazidime. Once the bacteria reach the bloodstream, the infection is fatal about 50 percent of the time. The threat from the insidious bacteria is only growing, scientists say. Sky-high seafood consumption around the world, using coastal waters for recreational activities, and the compounding effects of global climate change are setting humans up to see a marked increase in both reported cases and fatalities in the near future,' according to scientists from the UK and Spain. The vast majority of vibrio infections have occurred in Florida, tied to post-hurricane flooding, and Texas, largely due to fishing and oyster harvesting injuries, as well as Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The Florida Department of Health warned residents: 'Water and wounds do not mix. Do not enter the water if you have fresh cuts or scrapes.' Officials also urged people who are immunocompromised to wear protective footwear to prevent cuts or injuries on the beach.
