Five dead in Louisiana from Vibrio, a flesh-eating bacteria

Key Points:

• Five Louisiana residents have died from Vibrio vulnificus infections, a rare flesh-eating bacteria found in warm coastal waters, with four more patients currently hospitalized, according to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).
• All nine infected individuals had underlying health conditions, and this year's death toll exceeds the decade average of one death from seven cases during the same period.
• Vibrio vulnificus infections typically occur from May to October through open wounds exposed to brackish or salt water or by consuming raw or undercooked seafood, with about 20% of infected individuals dying, often rapidly.
• People with chronic conditions such as liver disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV, or weakened immune systems are at highest risk for severe outcomes, including hospitalization, limb amputation, or death.
• LDH and the CDC recommend at-risk individuals avoid raw oysters and undercooked shellfish, keep wounds covered in coastal waters, wear protective gloves when handling seafood, and seek immediate medical care if wounds show signs of infection.