Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but it’s a growing – and potentially fatal – threat to people in the U.S. and beyond.
Vibrio vulnificus, a type of flesh-eating bacteria that thrives in warm seawater, is once again threatening the safety of beachgoers and raw shellfish enthusiasts. I’m a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where my laboratory studies microbiology and infectious disease . Here’s why health officials are so concerned about this deadly infection – and ways to avoid contracting it. There are several types of bacteria that can infect open wounds and cause a rare condition called necrotising fasciitis . These bacteria do not merely damage the surface of the skin – they release toxins that destroy the underlying tissue, including muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Once the bacteria reach the bloodstream, they gain ready access to additional tissues and organ systems. The bacterial species group A Streptococcus , or group A strep, is the most common culprit behind necrotising fasciitis. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control points to Vibrio vulnificus as an additional suspect. Cases have also increased in Europe . Treating flesh-eating bacteria is a race against time. Clinicians administer antibiotics directly into the bloodstream to kill the bacteria. In many cases, damaged tissue needs to be surgically removed to stop the rapid spread of the infection. This sometimes means amputating affected limbs . Cases of infection by Vibrio vulnificus are about as rare as shark attacks . the microscopic shark that is Vibrio vulnificans can also rob you of life or limb While shark bites get more attention.
Climate change is also fueling stronger hurricanes and storm surges, which have been associated with spikes in flesh-eating bacteria infection cases due to increasing contact with seawater or brackish water. Because vibrio vulnificus has evolved resistance to certain antibiotics, researchers are concerned that an increasing number of cases are becoming impossible to treat. To date, Louisiana has reported nine cases, with five fatalities , and Florida has reported 14 cases, with two fatalities . As of late June, Maryland has reported 72 cases . If left untreated, necrotising fasciitis can be fatal, sometimes within 48 hours. There are only 150 to 200 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections in the United States each year, but the mortality rate is high, with 1 in 5 people succumbing to the infection.
