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CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
West Nile virus detected in Toronto
This photo provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a feeding female Anopheles stephensi mosquito crouching forward and downward on her forelegs on a human skin surface, in the process of obtaining its blood meal through its sharp, needle-like labrum, which it had inserted into its human host. (James Gathany/ CDC / via AP)
Newsweek
16-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Deadly Bacteria Linked to Seawater Spreading up East Coast of US
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. A potentially deadly bacterium, once mostly confined to the Gulf States, is now spreading north along the U.S. East Coast. Why It Matters Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium often labeled "flesh-eating" for its ability to cause severe and sometimes fatal tissue damage. Last year, cases of Vibrio vulnificus surged to record levels in Florida, with the Florida Department of Health reporting 82 cases and 19 deaths, marking a significant increase from previous years. State health officials linked this surge to flooding following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. A grouping of Vibrio vulnificus bacterium , image courtesy Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and colorized by James Gathany. A grouping of Vibrio vulnificus bacterium , image courtesy Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and colorized by James Gathany. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images What To Know The first fatalities this year in connection with Vibrio vulnificus were recently reported in Florida. And the bacteria is expanding. Aileen Marty, a professor of infectious diseases at Florida International University, told Newsweek over email: "We see cases of Vibrio vulnificus every year and cases have been rising as summers have grown warmer." "The reason is that V. vulnificus is naturally found in warm, brackish coastal waters, especially in the Gulf Coast states (e.g., Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi)," Marty said. However, she added: "In recent years, cases have expanded in the Eastern U.S., with instances reported as far north as Connecticut and New York, primarily attributed to rising coastal water temperatures and extreme weather events." Newsweek also spoke with Thomas A. Russo, professor and chief, division of infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo, who echoed this. "Although most common in the U.S. in the Gulf States," Vibrio vulnificus is "expanding Northward at an estimated range of 48 km/year due to increasing water temperatures," he said. "Severe infections have been described from NC, NY, and CT," Russo added. There were multiple documented cases and fatalities in these three states in 2023, as per reports from health officials and local news. Marty told Newsweek that "the treatment must be administered urgently." "Surgical intervention may be needed for extensive tissue infections—we sometimes have to amputate limbs to save lives. Rapid diagnostic strategies and awareness by HCW and the public can significantly reduce the risk of death, which can increase from roughly 33 percent to over 50 percent if treatment is delayed by just 24 hours," Marty said. What Is Vibrio vulnificus? Vibrio vulnificus is a naturally occurring bacterium found in coastal waters, including salt and brackish water. There are around a dozen kinds of Vibrio. This causes the human illness, vibriosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 80,000 cases of vibriosis each year in the U.S., of which 52,000 cases are the result of eating contaminated food. The most common species that cause human illness in the U.S. are Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, and Vibrio alginolyticus. The bacterium is "defined by warm, brackish, and coastal marine environments, with ongoing expansion into higher latitudes as global temperatures rise. This organism is most prevalent in regions with water temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius [60 degrees Fahrenheit] and moderate-to-high salinity," Russo said. Marty also told Newsweek that "symptoms often appear within 12-24 hours and include gastrointestinal distress, fever, blistering skin lesions, and potentially life-threatening sepsis or necrotizing fasciitis after wound exposure." "Most severe cases occur in people with underlying health problems; mild or asymptomatic cases are likely underreported, as healthy individuals may experience few or no symptoms," Marty said. What People Are Saying Russo added: "Avoid eating raw seafood, especially oysters, and wash your hands after handling raw seafood. If you are at increased risk for severe infection as delineated above this is particularly important. If you believe you have developed an infection, please seek health care ASAP since V. vulnificus infection can progress in a fulminant fashion; time is of the essence." William Schaffner, MD, professor of Preventive Medicine, Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University, told Newsweek over email: "The precautions are straightforward. Avoid going into the coastal water if you have broken skin. If you sustain an injury in the water, wash it off promptly and seek appropriate medical attention, particularly if the wound looks infected or the area becomes painful. Tell your provider of your water contact. Persons with chronic liver disease or who are immunocompromised should avoid eating raw oysters." What's Next Health officials continue to monitor the northward spread of Vibrio vulnificus. Current information is available from the CDC and local health departments.
