Flesh eating bacteria causes multiple deaths in Florida, New York, Connecticut. Check name, symptoms
Occurrences of Vibrio vulnificus infection, found in raw or undercooked seafood, saltwater, and brackish water, were responsible for two fatalities since January in Hillsborough County, located in Tampa, according to the Florida Department of Health. Moreover, a person each from surrounding Pasco, Polk, and Sarasota counties succumbed to the same cause. The state of Florida has recorded a total of 26 cases of this infection thus far in the year. This bacterial menace flourishes in warm waters, particularly in areas where river and ocean waters converge, and can infiltrate the body through cuts, scrapes, wounds, or even consumption of raw seafood.
«Flesh-Eating» BacteriaReferring to Vibrio vulnificus as the «flesh-eating bacteria» is technically inaccurate since the bacteria does not consume tissue despite causing fatal harm. It requires a pre-existing breach in the skin to enter the body and cannot permeate intact skin. If the bacteria enters through a cut or wound, it can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a condition in which the tissue surrounding the infection site perishes. The term «vulnificus» derives from Latin, signifying «to wound.» In some instances, Vibrio vulnificus infections can manifest as life-threatening wound infections, resulting in necrosis around an open wound, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those infected might necessitate intensive care or limb amputations, with about 1 in 5 individuals succumbing to the infection, sometimes within just a day or two of falling ill.
Climate Change Impact on «Flesh-Eating» BacteriaDue to the effects of climate change and warming ocean waters, Vibrio vulnificus is progressively moving northward, a trend unveiled by numerous studies.
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