Warm Waters Raise Risk for Flesh-Eating Bacteria. Here's Tips to Stay Safe

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- As waters warm across the United States and hurricanes and flooding season begins, the odds of being infected by flesh-eating bacteria are also rising, U.S. health officials warn.

According to a Sept. 1 health alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a dozen types of the bacteria called Vibrio cause an estimated 80,000 such illnesses each year.

One particular type of bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, can cause life-threatening "flesh eating" infections. About 150 to 200 of these infections are reported each year and about one in five of those infected die; sometimes within a day or two after becoming ill, the CDC noted in a news release.

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Vibrio bacteria thrive in warmer water, especially during the summer months and when hurricanes hit. In the United States, infections have been mostly seen in Gulf Coast states.