Hold The Oysters: Deadly Flesh Eating Bacteria Appears in Florida Waters

A type of flesh eating bacteria that flourishes in warm salt water has appeared in Florida, where seven people have been infected, and two have died.

“People can get infected with Vibrio vulnificus when they eat raw shellfish,” Florida Health Department spokeswoman Mara Burger said in a statement Wednesday. “Since it is naturally found in warm marine waters, people with open wounds can be exposed to Vibrio vulnificus through direct contact with seawater.”

Last year there were 32 cases of the bacteria in Florida and seven deaths. The bacteria thrives in warm weather, particularly between 68 and 95 degrees and most cases occur between May and October, health officials said.

A person can get infected either from eating the bacteria — as with raw shellfish, especially oysters — or through an open wound. People with weak or suppressed immune systems or chronic liver disease are especially vulnerable to infection.

If ingested, Vibrio vulnificus can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain or — rarely — septicemia, an infection of the blood. Blood infections are fatal about 50% of the time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the case of exposure to an open wound, the infection can ultimately cause necrotizing fasciitis which may require amputations to save a person’s life. They can also cause skin lesions or cellulitis — an infection of the tissues beneath the skin.

Full Story @ [Sputnik News]