Where is the flesh-eating bacteria in Florida? Vibrio vulnificus symptoms explored in wake of Tampa Bay deaths

Five people belonging to Florida's Tampa Bay City have died of a flesh-eating bacteria known to have already taken three lives of the people in Connecticut and New York. According to the Florida Department of Health, the bacteria, known as Vibrio vulnificus, can be found in undercooked or raw seafood, brackish water, and saltwater.

Vibrio vulnificus has resulted in the death of two people since January 2023 in Hillsborough County - one in Sarasota County and the other in Pasco, Polk.

In the warmer months, the growth rate of bacteria tends to accelerate. Health officials are advising individuals with open wounds, cuts, or scrapes to avoid entering the water, despite the rarity of infections.

Officials say that since January, Vibrio vulnificus infections have been found in 26 people in Florida. There were 74 cases and 17 deaths in 2022. Last year, these numbers were unusually high because Hurricane Ian dumped garbage into the ocean, which increased the number of germs.

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Vibrio vulnificus bacteria symptoms explored

According to the website of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus can induce wound infections that are fatal. About one-fifth of those infected with Vibrio vulnificus require intensive care or limb amputations, and approximately one-fifth perish, sometimes within a day or two of becoming unwell.

Some of the signs and symptoms are:

• Watery diarrhea that is frequently accompanied by abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
• Bloodstream infection can result in fever, chills, fatally low blood pressure, and burning skin sores.
• Wound infection, which may ultimately spread to the rest of the body can cause fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, a change in color, and fluid leakage.

While speaking to WFLA News Channel 8 in Tampa, Dr. Eric Shamas, a Bayfront Health St. Petersburg emergency medicine physician said:

“Whenever you have a break in the skin and you’re in a marine environment then theoretically you’re at risk. It’s very important to keep in mind these severe infections are very rare."

He also added:

"If you have wounds, maybe stay out of the water. If you suffer a cut while in the water, just wash it out very thoroughly with soap and water. Monitor your symptoms and follow up with your doctor if you have any questions."

In a press release, Governor Kathy Hochul declared the flesh-eating Vibrio vulnificus as "extraordinarily dangerous" and advised her residents to take measures.

"While rare, the vibrio bacterium has unfortunately made it to this region and can be extraordinarily dangerous. As we investigate further, it is critical that all New Yorkers stay vigilant and take responsible precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including protecting open wounds from seawater and for those with compromised immune systems, avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish which may carry the bacteria.”

Following the summertime deaths of one New Yorker and two Connecticut residents from vibrio vulnificus infections, the New York State Health Department this week published guidelines for citizens to recognize the rare, deadly bacteria.