Infections From Flesh-Eating Bacteria Are Spreading to New Areas

Follow Drugslib on

By Deanna Neff HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2025 — Health experts across the country are issuing warnings about a surge in infections from a "flesh-eating" bacterium known as Vibrio vulnificus.

Typically found in the warm, salty waters of the Gulf Coast, the bacteria are now appearing in new areas, with experts pointing to climate change as a key factor in their northward migration along the east coast, The Associated Press reports.

The bacteria thrive in warm, brackish water — a mixture of fresh and saltwater found in estuaries and lagoons. While most infections are reported between May and October in Gulf Coast states, cases have been documented as far north as New England, where a recent case on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod prompted a public health alert.

Vibrio vulnificus is a particularly dangerous type of Vibrio bacteria.

While most of the more than 1,000 Vibrio illnesses reported each year in the U.S. are less severe, Vibrio vulnificus accounts for about 200 cases. As many as 1 in 5 cases end in death, much higher than other strains, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A Florida man, Bernie Stewart, counts himself lucky to have survived a 2019 infection that required 10 surgeries over three months to remove decaying tissue.

For him, the message is clear: "This ain’t nothing to play with.”

People can become infected in one of two ways. The first is by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters, which filter the bacteria from the water.

The second and more common way is when the bacteria enter the body through an open wound, recent tattoo or piercing or other type of break in the skin while in the ocean or brackish water.

Dr. Fred Lopez is an infectious diseases specialist at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He noted that the waters of the Gulf Coast represent "the perfect convergence of the right amount of salt and the right amount of heat to let this organism proliferate."

Severe infection is more common in people with weakened immune systems, liver disease, diabetes, or other chronic illnesses, according to the CDC.

Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can cause severe, life-threatening illness. Antibiotics are the first line of defense, but some infections require aggressive treatment, including multiple surgeries to remove dead tissue, and in some cases, even amputation, the CDC says.

Cases fluctuate from year to year and depend on factors like tropical storms, making it tricky to interpret disease data, according to a researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

"It is really easy to sound unnecessary alarms because cases have increased, or feel too complacent because cases are low, [due to incompete reporting]," said researcher Salvador Almagro-Moreno.

Nonetheless, states like Louisiana have seen an alarming jump in cases this summer, with 20 reported infections and four deaths so far, according to The AP.

Sources

  • The Associated Press, Aug. 20, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-08-22 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords