Latest news with #fleshEatingBacteria
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Cases of flesh-eating bacteria on the rise in US
The threat posed by flesh-eating bacteria lurking on beaches and in rivers this summer is looming larger by the week, as cases climb into the double digits and deaths are following suit. Vibrio vulnificus eats away at tissues in the skin until they shrivel, turn black, and die, a condition called necrotizing fasciitis, requiring lengthy surgery to strip the dead skin from the patient's body or amputation to remove the limb to save the person's life. The bacteria typically populates the waters off the Gulf Coast, but has slowly made its way northward, appearing in the waters off North Carolina, where it has infected 59 people and killed one since January 1, according to state health records. Florida, meanwhile, has reported 16 cases this year and a death toll of five. And Louisiana health officials have reported 17 cases of Vibrio vulnificus so far this year, four of which have proven fatal. Deadly bacteria living in coastal and brackish waters (a mix of fresh and salt water) can infect swimmers through open wounds or strike unsuspecting diners who eat raw or undercooked seafood like oysters. These temperatures are becoming more common as the planet warms, and as ocean temperatures rise, Vibrio is spreading further north and remaining on coasts longer. Worsening storms and flooding are also washing the bacteria into freshwater, putting swimmers and seafood lovers at higher risk. While Florida's tally thus far falls short of the annual average of 48 cases and 11 deaths, in Louisiana, the state's averages for both have been dwarfed by the current figures. In 2019 in Texas, Adam Perez, 42, was hospitalized and lost most of the flesh on the lower half of his right leg after a dangerous dip in Waters Edge Park in Corpus Christi. He had to undergo four different life-saving surgeries, including skin grafts over his leg. 'This is a very scary-sounding bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus. Fortunately, it is rare, but it can be very deadly,' Dr Alok Patel, a pediatrician at Stanford Children's Health, told ABC News. Vibrio kills, on average, 20 percent of its victims, though in people with compromised immune systems, that figure jumps to at least 30 percent. In severe cases, when it causes sepsis or necrotizing fasciitis, the risk of death climbs to 70 percent. About 80 percent of people who become infected contract it from contact with seawater, while 20 percent of infections are caused by consumption of raw seafood. About 150 to 200 V. vulnificus infections are reported to the CDC each year and trends suggest cases are rising. A sweeping review of CDC data from 1988 to 2018 revealed that Vibrio wound infections on the East Coast surged eightfold, from about 10 to over 80 cases per year. Rachel Noble, a microbiologist at UNC-Chapel Hill's Institute of Marine Sciences, said : 'Every water sample we collect along the [North Carolina] coast now contains some kind of Vibrio. That wasn't true two decades ago.' When V. vulnificus is not fatal, it still can leave lifelong complications. When it enters a wound, the bacteria proliferate quickly and release toxins that tear tissue and blood vessels apart. The infection can penetrate deeper layers of the skin, muscle, and bloodstream in a matter of hours. From there, the skin develops blisters and open sores. It becomes red, then purple, then black. Blood pressure plummets, and the body becomes feverish. If the bacteria enter the bloodstream, they cause sepsis, a life-threatening condition that ravages the organs until they fail. Urgent medical care is needed to stop this process in its tracks, including antibiotics, emergency surgery to remove the dead tissue, and, potentially, amputation.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Deadly flesh-eating bacteria spread across beaches... as cases surge in terrifying rise
The threat posed by flesh-eating bacteria lurking on beaches and in rivers this summer is looming larger by the week, as cases climb into the double digits and deaths are following suit. Vibrio vulnificus eats away at tissues in the skin until they shrivel, turn black, and die, a condition called necrotizing fasciitis, requiring lengthy surgery to strip the dead skin from the patient's body or amputation to remove the limb to save the person's life. The bacteria typically populates the waters off the Gulf Coast, but has slowly made its way northward, appearing in the waters off North Carolina, where it has infected 59 people and killed one since January 1, according to state health records. Florida, meanwhile, has reported 16 cases this year and a death toll of five. And Louisiana health officials have reported 17 cases of Vibrio vulnificus so far this year, four of which have proven fatal. Deadly bacteria living in coastal and brackish waters (a mix of fresh and salt water) can infect swimmers through open wounds or strike unsuspecting diners who eat raw or undercooked seafood like oysters. Health experts warn the bug can cause everything from nasty bouts of stomach illness to dangerous wound infections and, in the most severe cases, it can trigger life-threatening blood poisoning. The bacteria's steady rise is, experts believe, a consequence of warming waters. The bacteria thrive in waters between 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius). These temperatures are becoming more common as the planet warms, and as ocean temperatures rise, Vibrio is spreading further north and remaining on coasts longer. Worsening storms and flooding are also washing the bacteria into freshwater, putting swimmers and seafood lovers at higher risk. While Florida's tally thus far falls short of the annual average of 48 cases and 11 deaths, in Louisiana, the state's averages for both have been dwarfed by the current figures. There have been 17 cases so far this year, including four deaths. By comparison, an average of seven V. vulnificus cases and one death have been reported each year in Louisiana over the previous 10 years. All 17 patients have been hospitalized, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Texas saw an average number of Vibrio cases of about 33 per year from 2015 to 2019, the latest year available. Annually, cases have fluctuated between 22 to 36. In 2019 in Texas, Adam Perez, 42, was hospitalized and lost most of the flesh on the lower half of his right leg after a dangerous dip in Waters Edge Park in Corpus Christi. He had to undergo four different life-saving surgeries, including skin grafts over his leg. 'This is a very scary-sounding bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus. Fortunately, it is rare, but it can be very deadly,' Dr Alok Patel, a pediatrician at Stanford Children's Health, told ABC News. Vibrio kills, on average, 20 percent of its victims, though in people with compromised immune systems, that figure jumps to at least 30 percent. In severe cases, when it causes sepsis or necrotizing fasciitis, the risk of death climbs to 70 percent. About 80 percent of people who become infected contract it from contact with seawater, while 20 percent of infections are caused by consumption of raw seafood. About 150 to 200 V. vulnificus infections are reported to the CDC each year and trends suggest cases are rising. A sweeping review of CDC data from 1988 to 2018 revealed that Vibrio wound infections on the East Coast surged eightfold, from about 10 to over 80 cases per year. Rachel Noble, a microbiologist at UNC-Chapel Hill's Institute of Marine Sciences, said: 'Every water sample we collect along the [North Carolina] coast now contains some kind of Vibrio. That wasn't true two decades ago.' When V. vulnificus is not fatal, it still can leave lifelong complications. When it enters a wound, the bacteria proliferate quickly and release toxins that tear tissue and blood vessels apart. The infection can penetrate deeper layers of the skin, muscle, and bloodstream in a matter of hours. From there, the skin develops blisters and open sores. It becomes red, then purple, then black. Blood pressure plummets, and the body becomes feverish. If the bacteria enter the bloodstream, they cause sepsis, a life-threatening condition that ravages the organs until they fail. Urgent medical care is needed to stop this process in its tracks, including antibiotics, emergency surgery to remove the dead tissue, and, potentially, amputation.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
What Is Vibrio Vulnificus? Deadly Warm-Water Bacteria Is Spreading In The Southeast.
Almost a dozen people have died this year in the Southeast after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus that thrives in warm water and can be exacerbated by hurricanes hitting the coast. An oyster on May 19, 2024. AFP via Getty Images Health departments in several states are warning residents about a mysterious and unusual rise in the bacteria after dozens of cases were confirmed across 11 states and at least nine deaths were attributed to an infection, with a tenth attributed to another vibrio species. At least 57 cases have been confirmed this year, according to Today, with the highest numbers in Louisiana (17), Florida (13) and North Carolina (7). Five people have died from Vibrio vulnificus infections in Florida and four have died in Louisiana, but it's still unclear how exactly the victims contracted the bacteria, which can be spread through infected sea water or through eating raw or undercooked shellfish. The bacteria thrives in warm water, meaning summertime is the most common time for infections, but one expert told NBC News the number of deaths is still high for this point in the season and another told Today that infections have been steadily rising for the last six to seven years. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here : 'This is certainly not normal, that's one thing,' Jantarpreet Jutla, an engineering professor at the University of Florida, told NBC News. 'We haven't had that many cases early on in the summer for a very long time.' Vibrio are bacteria that naturally live in coastal waters and there are about a dozen different kinds of Vibrio that can lead to vibriosis infections, including vulnificus, which can cause severe and life-threatening infections. Vibrio bacteria thrive in warm seawater and particularly in brackish water—the mix of fresh and salt water found in estuaries and wetlands. How Are People Infected With Vibrio? People can get vibriosis after swallowing Vibrio or getting it in a wound. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says eating contaminated food is the most common way to contract a vibriosis infection, claiming it's responsible for more than half of the estimated vibriosis cases each year. Oysters and other shellfish are the most common carriers of Vibrio. People with open wounds can also be exposed to Vibrio through direct contact with seawater and some infections, like of Vibrio vulnificus, can lead to necrotizing fasciitis that kills the flesh around an open would, leading to the moniker "flesh-eating bacteria." There is no evidence that vibriosis is transmissible person to person. What Are The Symptoms Of Vibrio Vulnificus? Those who contracted the infection following the ingestion of raw seafood typically present with fever, chills, blistering skin lesions or dangerously low blood pressure. Wound infections typically come with fever, redness, pain, swelling, discharge and discoloration. Vibrio vulnificus infections are diagnosed by stool, wound or blood cultures. How Deadly Is Vibrio Vulnificus? A Vibrio vulnificus infection can lead to serious illness and need intensive care or limb amputation. About one in five people with the infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming sick, according to the CDC. Vibrio vulnificus infections tend to increase after hurricanes. Paul Gulig, a professor and member of the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, credits Hurricanes Katrina, Irma and Ian with increasing the visibility of the bacteria. When brackish hurricane waters flooded the streets, cases of the bacterial infection rose. Florida saw a total of 82 cases last year (up from 46 in 2023) after its busy hurricane season. The National Weather Service has predicted a slightly above-normal season for this year thanks to warm ocean temperatures. NOAA estimates there will be between 13 and 19 named storms this year, with six to 10 developing into hurricanes. Further Reading Forbes New Virus Outbreak In China: What To Know About The Chikungunya Virus By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs Forbes Legionnaires' Disease Threatens NYC Again—Here's What Causes It And Who's Most At Risk By Zachary Folk
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
‘Something is off this year': Experts are stumped at the sudden spike in flesh-eating bacteria deaths
Deaths from the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus are rising along the southeastern US coast, with at least five fatalities reported in Florida, four in Louisiana, and one in North Carolina 's Outer Banks this year. The bacteria flourish in warm seawater and can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a serious infection that rapidly damages surrounding tissue. Health officials report that Florida has recorded 16 cases this year. Seventeen cases have reported Louisiana, with seven and three cases also reported in North Carolina seven and Mississippi, respectively. Vibrio vulnificus can enter the body through open wounds exposed to salty or brackish water and can also be contracted by eating contaminated raw seafood, particularly oysters. About 20 percent of those infected with this bacterium die from the infection. Antarpreet Jutla, an engineering professor at the University of Florida, told NBC that infections remain rare but 'something is off this year.' 'This is certainly not normal, that's one thing,' Jutla said. 'We haven't had that many cases early on in the summer for a very long time.' While Jutla said there are too many unknowns to be certain what is causing the spike, researchers are following some leads. For one, his group is investigating why there is such high concentrations of plankton and chlorophyll in Florida's panhandle, which may be linked to the surge in Vibrio bacteria. Although most Vibrio species cause mild gastrointestinal illnesses, Vibrio vulnificus is particularly dangerous due to its rapid progression and severe symptoms. Jutla also explained that Vibrio vulnificus infections often rise following hurricanes, which stir up bacteria in floodwaters. Florida recorded 82 cases last year, a number that may have been worsened by the 'extremely active' hurricane season, as the bacteria can persist in floodwaters caused by storms. 'Something happened this year that triggered the pathogens a little bit more than before,' he said. People at greatest risk include those with liver disease, weakened immune systems, or who are over 65 years old. Symptoms typically appear within hours and include redness, swelling, painful blisters, and potentially life-threatening sepsis if untreated. Health experts recommend covering any open wounds before entering ocean waters and seeking immediate medical attention if infection signs develop. Early treatment with antibiotics can prevent serious complications. This year's infections and deaths have been reported across a wide range of Florida's coastline, including counties such as Bay County in the Panhandle, Hillsborough County near Tampa, Broward County in the southeast, and St. Johns County near Jacksonville.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Report: 13 cases of flesh-eating bacteria, eight deaths confirmed in Florida
Florida has confirmed 13 cases of Vibrio vulnificus—often called "flesh-eating" bacteria—across 11 counties this year, with eight deaths, the Florida Department of Health told CBS News Miami partner el Nuevo Herald. Officials said eight cases were tied to wound exposure but stressed the infections are "sporadic and unrelated to an outbreak." The Sunshine State saw its highest-ever case count in 2024—82 infections and 19 deaths—with health officials noting that hurricanes and storm surges, such as those from Hurricane Helene last year, can push coastal waters inland, heightening infection risks. The bacteria, found in saltwater and brackish water, can cause severe illness or death within one to two days, according to the CDC. Most cases in the U.S. occur in Gulf Coast states. Read the full story from Miami Herald's Sonia Osorio here. Dr. Edward Hirsch, an infectious disease specialist at HCA Florida University Hospital, recommends rinsing off after swimming in ocean water and ensuring seafood is thoroughly cooked. "It's very frightening. Luckily, it's very rare," he added. Here are some key facts about Vibrio vulnificus, according to the CDC: For more information, visit the CDC's Vibrio page.
