Four people have died in Florida this year from Vibrio vulnificus, the so-called “flesh-eating” bacteria, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. The FDOH reported that cases rose statewide to 13 as of July 24.
The deaths were in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough and St. Johns, the FDOH said. The two new cases are in Bay and Okaloosa counties.
Vibrio vulnificusa is a naturally occurring bacterial infection found in warm and brackish seawater. People can contract it by eating raw or undercooked seafood (particularly raw oysters, the most common cause) or by exposing open cuts or wounds to the water. The FDOH did not specify the sources or dates of the new cases.
If the bacteria infects a person, it can cause the skin and soft tissue around a wound to quickly break down. Treatment may require limb amputation to stop the rapid flesh deterioration and the infection can be fatal.
Last year, there were a record 82 Vibrio vulnificusa cases and 19 deaths in Florida, most of them after October when large areas of the state were flooded by back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Nationwide, vibriosis from Vibrio vulnificus and other Vibrio bacteria causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
How many people have died from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida?
According to the FDOH 4 people have died so far in 2025, as of Friday, July 25:
Between 2008 and 2025, 178 people in Florida have died from Vibrio vulnificus, according to FDOH records.
How many cases of flesh-eating bacteria have been reported in Florida?
According to the FDOH, 13 cases have been reported so far in 2025, as of Friday, July 25:
What is Vibrio vulnificus?
The Vibrio vulnificus bacteria thrives in brackish water, which is created when fresh water from a river or lake meets the salty water of the sea.
Infections are most commonly caused can be eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters, or by exposing cuts or wounds in floodwaters, which spread brackish water into places it doesn’t usually get to.
Vibrio vulnificus is rare, but it can be life-threatening. Some Vibrio vulnificus infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection in which the flesh around an open wound dies. Without treatment, death can occur in just a few days.
People with compromised immune systems, liver disease, or open wounds are at higher risk for Vibrio vulnificus, the FDOH said.
What are the symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus or ‘flesh-eating bacteria’?
(WARNING, AN IMAGE BELOW MAY BE TOO GRAPHIC FOR SOME AUDIENCES)
Common symptoms of Vibrio infection may include:
If you experience these symptoms after being eating raw seafood or being exposed to floodwaters, seek medical attention immediately. Healthcare professionals can treat the infection with antibiotics, but in extreme cases arms and legs may need to be amputated to remove dead or infected tissue.
“Many people with Vibrio vulnificus infection require intensive care or limb amputations,” the CDC said on their site, “and about 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill.”
Does ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ actually eat flesh?
No, but it kills it. Vibrio vulnificus can cause necrotizing fasciitis that kills human tissue, including the skin and outer layer surrounding muscles, nerves, fat, blood vessels and organs.
Calling it “flesh-eating bacteria” is inaccurate, − though a common reference − because (1) it kills tissue, but does not eat it; and (2) it cannot penetrate intact skin, but must enter through an existing break in the skin.
Can you get the flesh-eating bacteria from another person?
“There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission of Vibrio vulnificus,” the FDOH said.
How can I avoid contracting Vibrio vulnificus?
According to the FDOH and CDC:
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: ‘Flesh-eating’ bacteria Florida update: Vibrio vulnificus cases rise to 13. Here’s where
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
