Flesh-Eating Bacteria Are Devouring Limbs in Warming Waters Worldwide - Here's How to Protect Yourself

Vibrio vulnificus, a “flesh-eating” bacterium that thrives in warm seawater, is raising concerns for beachgoers and people who enjoy raw shellfish as ocean temperatures rise. The article cites Louisiana reporting nine cases with five deaths, Florida reporting 14 cases with two fatalities, and, as of late June, Maryland reporting 72 cases. Although it affects only an estimated 150 to 200 people annually in the U.S., the mortality rate is high, with 1 in 5 deaths. Infections can enter through open wounds or sores during May-to-October warmer months, and can also cause seafood-associated illness when shellfish is eaten raw or undercooked. Officials link rising cases to expanding bacterial habitats, including along the U.S. East Coast and in parts of Northern Europe.