Researcher is holding Petri dish of Vibrio vulnificus (flesh-eating bacteria) – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Arpon Pongkasetkam
According to state health officials, four people in Florida have died and over six others are ill after catching a rare “flesh-eating bacteria” this year.
The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) reports that deaths in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough, and St. Johns counties were caused by the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which is present in brackish and saltwater water as well as in raw or undercooked seafood.
According to a July 11 FDOH report, 11 individuals in Florida have contracted Vibrio vulnificus so far in 2025, with four of them dying and seven getting sick.
The new instances’ origin and the location of the patient’s bacterial infection were not disclosed by the FDOH.
Warm, brackish seawater is home to the naturally occurring bacterium Vibrio vulnificus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vibrio vulnificus is a disease that is caused when fresh water from a lake or river meets seawater. People can get it by swallowing the water or by getting it in their wounds.
The Sunshine State saw a record 82 cases and 19 fatalities last year, the majority of which occurred after October, when Hurricanes Helene and Milton inundated vast portions of the state. For Vibrio vulnificus to proliferate, brackish saltwater is necessary.
On Tuesday, July 15, USA TODAY reached out to the CDC to inquire about if anyone has been exposed to what it claims media sources referred to as a “flesh-eating bacteria” in other states this year, but it has not heard back.
Vibrio vulnificus: what is it?
The CDC states that certain species of Vibrio, such as Vibrio vulnificus, can cause serious and perhaps fatal infections. Vibrios are bacteria that reside in coastal waters.
The CDC states that infections are uncommon.
According to the CDC, approximately 100 people in the United States pass away from vibrio infections each year, while almost 80,000 people contract the infection.
‘Flesh-eating’ bacteria: why the name?
Although it does not consume tissue, Vibrio vulnificus kills. The germs can enter through an existing break in the skin, but they cannot penetrate healthy skin. The flesh surrounding the infection site dies if the bacteria produce necrotizing fasciitis after entering the body through a cut or wound.
According to the CDC, almost one in five people who contract the infection pass away, sometimes within 24 hours of falling ill, and those who do may require critical care or limb amputations.
Because the germs can enter the body and create an infection, health officials advised anyone with fresh cuts or scrapes to avoid warm, brackish water.
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
