Eight deaths have been reported in Florida due to “eating meat” Bacterial infectionaccording to state health officials.
The Florida Department of Health has confirmed a total of 13 cases of Vibrio valnificus in 11 counties, as reported by local outlets.
Last year, the state reported even higher numbers: 82 cases and 19 deaths.
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Louisiana also has a higher than average case count, with the Health Department reporting 17 infections and four deaths in 2025.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States sees an average of 150 to 200 infections per year. largely Cases of infectious diseases It occurs in the Gulf states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas).
Vibrio vulnificus is part of a broader group of Vibrio bacteria found in coastal waters, according to the CDC.
This particular bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, can enter the wounds that open when people are swimming.
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“Warm water provides an incubator ready for vibrio growth,” told Fox News Digital, Dr. Nathan Goodyear, an integrative medicine physician at Williams Cancer Institute, California. “Cat-eating bacteria are thermosalts and are easily inhabited. Warm, salty, brackish water. ”
Furthermore, an increase in plankton blooms carrying Vibrio bacteria is associated with an increase in cases. Increased flooding and hurricanes, as well as other natural disasters, Goodyear noted, could also spread the medium in which meat-eating bacteria exist.
Vibrio can cause severe infections, according to Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in New York.
These include invasive soft tissue infections (also known as “necrotizing fasciitis” or “carnivorous bacteria”) and bloodstream infections.
Included in the highest risk groups senior citizen And people with immunodeficiency or chronic liver disease warned Handel.
“Raw oysters and other shellfish can infect vibrio, leading to severe gastroenteritis or food poisoning,” he told Fox News Digital.
According to Handel, symptoms of Vibrio depend on the type of infection.
“People with skin infections often experience high fever and severe pain, swelling and redness at the site of the infection. This usually occurs after an open wound is exposed to infected water,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Symptoms” Skin infection It can be life-threatening in a short time and very quickly. Thankfully, these infections are rare. ”
People who eat contaminated shellfish can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, leading to dehydration, doctors warned.
meanwhile Healthy person Generally, you only experience mild symptoms. People with immunodeficiency or chronic liver disease may face serious health risks.
According to Florida Health, when vibrnificus enters the bloodstream, it can cause severe illness marked with fever, chills, septic shock and swelling skin lesions.
Approximately half of these bloodstream infections are fatal.
Some severe cases can cause an infection called necrotizing fasciitis. This will warn the CDC when flesh around the open wound dies. Due to this rare side effect, Vibrio vulnificus is called a “meat-eating bacteria.”
Bacterial infections are diagnosed by testing cultures obtained from the stool, wounds, or blood, according to health officials.
For mild infections, the CDC recommends increasing your liquid intake to prevent dehydration.
People with severe or long-term infections should I’ll receive antibiotics To improve survival rates. Infected wounded people may need surgery to remove dead tissue.
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“Antibiotics alone aren’t enough to calm the carnivorous storm,” Goodyear told Fox News Digital. ” Surgical manifestation It is necessary immediately to remove the source of infection. ”
The CDC states that about one in five people have an infection, and sometimes die within one to two days of illness.
To prevent Vibrio infection, experts recommend swimming in waters such as the ocean, river, or mouth, if there are open wounds.
“To prevent food poisoning from Vibrio, avoid eating raw shellfish, especially if you are suffering from immunodeficiency or chronic liver disease,” advised Handel.
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“If you eat shellfish, make sure you don’t sit for a long time.
Doctors focused on Vibrio infection It’s rare “It should not be the main cause of alarms.”
“Always check with your state and local health department for updates for state and location updates,” advised Goodyear.
Fox News Digital has requested the Florida Department of Public Health for comment.
