FLESH-EATING BACTERIAFlesh‑Eating Bacteria Are Devouring Limbs in Warming Waters Worldwide − Here’s How to Protect Yourself
Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but it’s a growing – and potentially fatal – threat to people in the U.S. and beyond. Vibrio vulnificus, a type of flesh-eating bacteria that thrives in warm seawater, is once again threatening the safety of beachgoers and raw shellfish enthusiasts.
Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but it’s a growing – and potentially fatal – threat to people in the U.S. and beyond.
Vibrio vulnificus, a type of flesh-eating bacteria that thrives in warm seawater, is once again threatening the safety of beachgoers and raw shellfish enthusiasts. To date, Louisiana has reported nine cases, with five fatalities, and Florida has reported 14 cases, with two fatalities. As of late June, Maryland has reported 72 cases.
I’m a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where my laboratory studies microbiology and infectious disease. Here’s why health officials are so concerned about this deadly infection – and ways to avoid contracting it.
What Does ‘Flesh-Eating’ Mean?
There are several types of bacteria that can infect open wounds and cause a rare condition called necrotizing fasciitis. These bacteria do not merely damage the surface of the skin – they release toxins that destroy the underlying tissue, including muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Once the bacteria reach the bloodstream, they gain ready access to additional tissues and organ systems. If left untreated, necrotizing fasciitis can be fatal, sometimes within 48 hours.
The bacterial species group A Streptococcus, or group A strep, is the most common culprit behind necrotizing fasciitis. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control points to Vibrio vulnificus as an additional suspect. There are only 150 to 200 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections in the United States each year, but the mortality rate is high, with 1 in 5 people succumbing to the infection. Cases have also increased in Europe.
How Do You Catch Flesh-Eating Bacteria?
Vibrio vulnificus primarily lives in warm seawater but can also be found in brackish water – areas where the ocean mixes with freshwater. Most infections in the U.S. occur in the warmer months, between May and October. People who swim, fish or wade in these bodies of water can contract the bacteria through an open wound or sore.
Vibrio vulnificus can also get into seafood harvested from these waters, especially shellfish like oysters. Eating such foods raw or undercooked can lead to food poisoning, and handling them while having an open wound can provide an entry point for the bacteria to cause necrotizing fasciitis. In the U.S., Vibrio vulnificus is a leading cause of seafood-associated fatalities.
