By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-08-02 20:14:59 | Updated at 2026-08-02 23:32:35
3 hours ago
Florida’s Department of Health confirmed the state’s first death from a rare type of flesh-eating bacteria in 2026.
According to data from the health department, there have been 12 cases and one death from Vibrio vulnificus, the bacteria, in Florida, as of July 30. The lone death was reported in Palm Beach County.
In 2025, state health officials confirmed 33 cases across the state including five deaths. But there were significantly more cases of the rare bacteria in 2022 and 2024.
Health authorities reported 74 cases across 2022 and 82 cases in 2024, according to the Department of Health. Of the cases in 2022, 17 died, while 19 died in 2024.
The Florida Department of Health did not say how or where people contracted the infections this year.
Several different organisms in the Vibrio family can cause illness, but Vibrio vulnificus is believed to cause among the most severe infections. Often described as a “flesh-eating bacteria” in media reports, the bacteria is generally found in warm and brackish seawater—a mixture of fresh and ocean water, officials say.
Occurring naturally in warm coastal waters, Vibrio vulnificus has also been connected to “coastal floods, hurricanes, and storm surges,” and cases have been associated with evacuees who were older and had underlying health issues while fleeing from Hurricane Ian in 2022, according to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.
Some infections from the bacteria can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection where the flesh around the wound dies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People who contract Vibrio vulnificus can develop serious symptoms, including the need for limb amputation and intensive care. Around a fifth of people who contract the bacteria die, according to the CDC, adding that death can occur within one or two days of becoming sick.
Around 80,000 cases of Vibrio infections are reported each year in the United States, said the CDC in a 2023 health alert. However, only around 150 to 200 of these cases are specifically Vibrio vulnificus infections.
The CDC adds that many people contract Vibrio bacterial infections by eating undercooked or raw shellfish, namely oysters.
CDC officials say people can increase their risk of infection by eating raw seafood, exposing an open wound to coastal waters, or exposing an open wound to raw seafood.
The Louisiana State Board also says that “open wounds include those from a recent surgery, piercing, tattoo, and other cuts or scrapes—including those acquired during aquatic activity.”
People with certain medical conditions—such as those with liver diseases, chronic kidney failure, diabetes, and conditions that weaken the immune system—are more likely to develop a Vibrio vulnificus infection if they are exposed to the organism, the Cleveland Clinic says on its website.
Individuals whose jobs place them in contact with raw shellfish or the water where they live are also more likely to be exposed to the bacteria, according to the clinic.
Meanwhile, individuals with HIV, cancer, or thalassemia are also more susceptible to contracting the illness. Those receiving immune-suppressing therapy, those taking medicine to decrease stomach acid levels, and those who have had a recent stomach surgery are also susceptible, the agency says.
Symptoms of a Vibrio wound infection can include fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration, or discharge. Signs of a bloodstream infection can include chills, fever, low blood pressure, and blistering lesions on the skin, according to the CDC.
