Five people in the Tampa area have reportedly died of a rare flesh eating bacteria this year. Two were from Hillsborough County, one was from Sarasota, one was from Polk county, and one was from Pasco County. A total of 26 cases have been reported statewide this year.
The bacteria, named Vibrio Vulnificus, is found in raw seafood and in warm, brackish sea waters. When a break in the skin is exposed to salt water or brackish water, a mix of fresh and salt water found where rivers meet the sea, the disease could cause a skin infection. The department did not list the cause of the infection in the five 2023 cases.
Most people will have a mild case and will recover within two to three days. However, those with an infection can become seriously ill and may need intensive care or limb amputations. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately one in five people with this infection will die within one to two days of becoming ill.
While Vibrio Vulnificus does not technically eat flesh, it does kill tissue rapidly. When the bacteria enters the body through a break in the skin, it can cause necrotizing fasciitis, in which flesh around the infection site dies. According to the Center for Disease Control, later symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis can include ulcers, blisters, and changes in skin color in certain spots.
Infections have reportedly increased eightfold between 1988 and 2018. In Florida, from 2008 to 2023, it has infected 565 people and killed 149 people.
In 2022, 74 total cases and 17 deaths occurred, largely due to Hurricane Ian flooding communities. A similar spike in cases could occur as a result of the recent Hurricane Idalia.
Global warming is also a factor in the increase in reported cases. A researcher from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute found that Vibrio Vulnificus has been migrating north towards warmer waters where the bacteria can reproduce faster. Cases were previously concentrated primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and in South America, with U.S. infections being linked to Mexican imports.
Vibrio Vulnificus, as well as other diseases that cause necrotizing fasciitis, require care in a hospital. Treatment often includes IV antibiotics and surgery used to stop the spread of the infection.
The CDC recommends people protect themselves by avoiding contact with raw shellfish. It is also recommended to avoid salt water and brackish water when wounded, or to cover wounds with a waterproof bandage.
Similar cases may continue to build up throughout the rest of the year. Cases may begin to spread beyond Florida as well, as there were three reported deaths in North Carolina . Remember to stay safe and get medical help if there is belief of an infection.