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NEED TO KNOW
- The death toll from an outbreak of flesh-eating bacteria continues to rise, with health officials confirming a fifth person has died
- Vibrio vulnificus bacteria thrive in brackish water, and people can be sickened by eating tainted seafood or going in the water with open wounds or cuts
- Although some people with preexisting conditions are more likely to get severe illness, the state health department says “anyone can get a Vibrio infection”
Five people have now died in Louisiana, and dozens of others have been sickened, amid an ongoing outbreak of cases of vibriosis, an illness caused by the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.
The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the latest death on Sept. 16, as the coastal state “continues to see a higher number of Vibrio cases and deaths than are typically reported.”
It’s more than double the cases from last year; in 2024, there were ten people sickened by Vibrio and one death. This year, there have been 26 known cases of vibriosis, and all patients have required hospitalization, according to the health department.
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Vibrio are a flesh-eating bacteria that thrive in saltwater and brackish water (a mix of salt and fresh water). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people are sickened by vibrio after eating raw or undercooked shellfish — particularly oysters — because the bacteria can “concentrate” inside the shellfish.
Two of the deaths in Louisiana were linked to tainted oysters, but the Department of Health says 85% of those sickened “reported wound/seawater exposure.” Vibrio can cause an infection if a swimmer has an open cut or scrape, or recent tattoo or piercing.
In the best-case scenario for a vibrio infection, those sickened will experience “watery diarrhea, often accompanied by stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever,” the CDC explains.
Bloodstream and wound infections are far more severe, causing “dangerously low” blood pressure, skin blisters, and necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as the flesh-eating disease. As the CDC notes, “Doctors may need to amputate a patient’s legs or arms to remove dead or infected tissue.”
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Some people with pre-existing conditions, like liver disease or cancer, may be at an increased risk of severe illness, the CDC says. The Louisiana Department of Health notes that while most of those sickened did have comorbidities, they advise everyone to take precautions before going in the water or eating seafood, since “anyone can get a Vibrio infection.”
“Stay out of brackish or salt water if you have a wound (including cuts and scrapes), or cover your wound with a waterproof bandage if there’s a possibility it could come into contact with brackish or salt water, raw seafood, or raw seafood juices,” the health department says, and recommends seeking a doctor’s care immediately if you develop a skin infection after being in the water.
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