Flesh Eating Bacteria on the Rise: A Warning to Beachgoers and a Wake Up Call for Public Health The recent spate of deaths attributed to Vibrio vulnificus, a "flesh eating" bacteria found in warm coastal waters, has left beachgoers across the southern United States on edge.
In Louisiana alone, five people have died this year from infections linked to wounds exposed to seawater.
Vibrio vulnificus is typically associated with eating raw or undercooked shellfish – particularly oysters – but its ability to cause severe skin infections and septic shock also makes it a formidable foe for anyone who ventures into coastal waters without taking proper precautions.