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“Vibrio vulnificus is most active when coastal waters are warm.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Florida and Louisiana have recorded seven deaths linked to Vibrio vulnificus, the bacterium often described as “flesh-eating,” according to Healthline.
While doctors say the danger is generally low for healthy people, there are instances of infections becoming severe.
Healthline reported that the two states have confirmed 23 Vibrio vulnificus infections altogether, and 7 have led to deaths.
The organism thrives in warm coastal water, particularly in salty or brackish areas, and it can also infect people who eat raw or undercooked oysters and other seafood. Most vibriosis infections are mild despite the nickname, and symptoms can include fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
The “flesh-eating” label comes from rare cases that progress to necrotizing fasciitis, which is a serious, soft tissue infection.
Robert Glatter, an attending physician and assistant professor of emergency medicine, told Healthline, “Vibrio vulnificus is most active when coastal waters are warm, so cases typically rise from late spring through early fall, especially along the Gulf Coast.”
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State health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are emphasizing that wound care, food safety, and early treatment can keep people safer.
Health officials have not said these Gulf Coast cases represent a dramatic spike overall.
Louisiana reported 9 cases and 5 deaths, compared with a 10-year average of 7 cases and 1 death. Florida, meanwhile, had 14 cases and 2 deaths by mid-August 2026, after logging 33 cases and 5 deaths in 2025.
“Warming waters are extending the season and geographic range,” Glatter told Healthline.
That makes the bacteria less of an issue limited to one place on the Gulf Coast or one part of the year. A 2025 study also found a 70% rise in Vibrio vulnificus cases between 2000–2004 and 2018–2022.
Another assistant professor of emergency medicine, Christopher Greene, said, “Although anyone could be infected with an open wound, patients with cirrhosis or other immune-compromising conditions are particularly vulnerable.”
People who have had recent stomach surgery or have conditions like diabetes, HIV, or cancer face a much higher risk of severe illness as well.
CDC advice says people should keep open wounds out of salt or brackish water, avoid raw or undercooked oysters, and use gloves when handling raw shellfish. It’s also important to discard shellfish with open shells.
Even small scrapes or recent tattoos or piercings can create an entry point for infection.
After any contact with coastal water or seafood juices, wounds should be washed promptly with soap and clean water. If staying out of the water isn’t possible, they should first be covered with a waterproof bandage.
The CDC guidance also says to get medical care quickly if a wound turns red, becomes discolored, or looks infected.
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