Deaths from rare flesh-eating bacteria reported in these 2 states

Key Points:

• At least seven deaths from Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacterium, have been reported recently across Florida and Louisiana, prompting health officials to urge vigilance, especially in coastal areas.
• Vibrio vulnificus infections, though rare, can rapidly cause severe illness or death, particularly in people with weakened immune systems, with a fatality rate of about 20% according to the CDC.
• The bacterium thrives in warm, brackish coastal waters and is commonly contracted through raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters, or through open wounds exposed to contaminated water.
• Symptoms of infection appear quickly, often within 24 hours, and include fever, painful skin lesions, blisters, nausea, and in severe cases, sepsis and organ failure.
• Preventative measures include thoroughly cooking seafood, avoiding coastal water exposure with open wounds, washing wounds immediately after contact with seawater, and taking extra precautions for high-risk individuals.