Cases of Vibrio vulnificus, which lives in brackish, salty waters and degrades the flesh, have doubled since the hurricane devastated West and Central Florida. The state has reported 64 infections and 13 deaths this year, compared with 34 cases and 10 deaths in all of 2021, according to data from the state Department of Health.
That’s because the bacteria thrive in brackish floods, where sewage spills into coastal water. But even before Hurricane Ian, Vibrio vulnificus was already increasing, experts told Newsweek.
“Vibrio vulnificus is becoming more abundant in Gulf Coastal waters due to warming temperatures from climate change, reductions in salinity and sewage dumping,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. “These factors can also become confluent during hurricanes and tropical storms.”
People with open wounds, cuts or abrasions can be exposed to the bacteria when they come into contact with contaminated water.
“Some of those bacteria will stick to your wounds and they’ll get in it and they’ll take a hold,” said Dr. Anthony Ouellette, a professor of biology and chemistry at Jacksonville University. “Then they’ll divide and divide and divide to really high numbers, and when they do this they start releasing toxins, some of which will break down your tissue.”
After killing the tissue around a wound, the bacteria can invade the body, leading to septicemia and organ failure. Some patients require surgeries or amputations, while others may die in a matter of days.
Infections can also come from eating raw shellfish, particularly oysters. The bacteria stick to particles in estuaries and salt marshes where oysters live.
“Those particles get into an oyster through an oyster filter feeding. Oysters pump a lot of water,” said Ouellette.
These stories have alarmed Florida residents, with some issuing dire warnings on social media.
A viral tweet from user @Priscilla_dgaf said, “Whatever y’all do, DO NOT EAT RAW SUSHI or any RAW seafood for the next few weeks. After Hurricane Ian, there [have] been some flesh-eating bacteria cases going on!”
The tweet amassed over 60,000 likes and 25,000 retweets, but Ouellette said that you are unlikely to contract Vibrio vulnificus from sushi.
“Anything that was in the water surface can be contaminated,” he said. “Typically when people eat raw fish, they’re not eating the skin.”
If you are not eating the skin—or if the skin has been cooked—you’re unlikely to get sick, said Ouellette. However, you could be infected if you are handling raw seafood before cooking it and you have a cut on your hand.
Both Hotez and Ouellette emphasized that the level of risk varies considerably between individuals. Although some young, healthy people have died from the disease, the risk of severe illness is much higher if a person is immunocompromised or has diabetes, liver disease or kidney disease.
They advised seeking medical attention if you see signs of skin infection such as swelling, redness and blisters. You may also have a fever, chills, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea. If you have a cut that feels unusually hot or hurts more than it should, that’s another cue to call the doctor, said Ouellette.
Newsweek reached out to the Florida Department of Health for comment.
