As Hurricane Idalia has moved on, its destructive wake has left behind an insidious danger: the carnivorous bacterium Vibrio vulnificus. The Florida Department of Health is advising locals and visitors to be especially vigilant around the water over Labor Day weekend.
Vibrio vulnificus thrives in the warm, brackish waters created when storm surges mix salt water and rain, conditions that now exist in coastal areas of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. The bacteria infects approximately 80,000 people each year in the US, causing about 100 deaths, numbers that tend to rise in the wake of hurricanes.
People usually get the infection through skin wounds while wading in contaminated water. This bacteria can cause rapid tissue deterioration, which requires immediate medical treatment and antibiotics. In severe cases, amputations may be necessary and fatalities may occur within 24 hours of exposure.
In addition to wading in the water, another common route of infection is eating raw oysters. Due to climate change and rising temperatures, Vibrio is expanding its geographic range, increasing risks along the southeast coast of the United States, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Experts urge people with open cuts or sores to cover them properly or refrain from entering brackish water. Eating cooked oysters can also mitigate the risk. Although the presence of the bacteria in coastal waters is almost guaranteed, the likelihood of infection remains extremely low for most people without open wounds.
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