Source: Fortune
Summary
Health officials in Louisiana are warning beachgoers to take precautions against Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters. Nine cases have been confirmed this year, with five deaths. The bacteria thrive in seawater and brackish water, and most infections occur from May to October. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one in five infections are fatal. Florida has also reported cases, with 14 infections and two deaths this year. Climate change is believed to be contributing to the spread of the bacteria.
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The numbers tell one story.
Louisiana’s health department reports a surge in Vibrio vulnificus infections, with nine cases and five deaths this year. The Gulf Coast is an ideal environment for the bacteria, with the right amounts of salt and heat. Florida has also reported cases, with 14 infections and two deaths this year. Climate change is helping the germs proliferate and spread northward. Doctors say severe cases are seen more often in elderly patients and those with weakened immune systems.
The bacteria enters through breaks in the skin, and beachgoers can protect themselves by washing cuts and scrapes thoroughly and cooking shellfish before eating.
One in five Vibrio vulnificus infections are fatal – a rate that’s starting to sound like a warning sign for the entire Gulf Coast.
Author: Evan Null
