Deadly ‘Flesh-Eating’ Bacteria Raises Concerns Along Gulf Coast as Louisiana, Florida Report Deaths

A potentially deadly bacterium found naturally in warm coastal waters is raising renewed concerns across the Gulf Coast, with Louisiana and Florida reporting infections and deaths as summer temperatures keep millions of residents and tourists near beaches and other waterways.

Vibrio vulnificus, commonly described as a “flesh-eating” bacterium because severe infections can rapidly destroy tissue, is naturally present in warm salt and brackish water. Infections are relatively rare but can become life-threatening quickly.

Louisiana has reported five deaths this year, with health officials warning that infections are running above what the state typically experiences during this point in the season. Recent state figures showed nine confirmed cases, all requiring hospitalization. Louisiana historically averaged about seven cases and one death during the comparable period over the previous decade.

Florida is also reporting infections. State health officials have confirmed at least 14 cases and two deaths this year, including deaths in Palm Beach and Marion counties.

The concern extends beyond those two states.

Vibrio vulnificus has long been associated with the Gulf Coast, where warm coastal waters provide conditions in which the bacteria thrive. Texas health officials say the state has historically averaged about 33 infections annually, with nearly 90% occurring between May and October.

The bacteria can enter the body when an open cut or wound is exposed to contaminated coastal water. People can also become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters.

Despite the “flesh-eating” nickname, the bacteria does not literally consume flesh. Severe infections can cause necrotizing fasciitis, in which tissue surrounding an infected wound dies.

The consequences can be devastating. According to federal health authorities, roughly one in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill. People with liver disease, weakened immune systems and certain other underlying conditions face an increased risk of severe illness.

Health officials recommend that people with open wounds avoid salt and brackish water or cover wounds completely with waterproof bandages. Anyone handling raw seafood should also protect wounds and wash their hands afterward.

The threat is increasingly attracting attention outside the Gulf Coast as well. Researchers have documented Vibrio vulnificus infections appearing farther north along the Atlantic Coast, a trend scientists have associated with warming coastal waters.

For Gulf Coast residents, however, the bacteria isn’t new. What is drawing attention this summer is the severity of the infections being reported — particularly in Louisiana, where five people have already died.

And with the bacteria most prevalent during the warm-water months between May and October, health officials are urging beachgoers and others entering coastal waters to take precautions before summer ends.