Cases of Vibrio vulnificus, the so-called “flesh-eating” bacteria, continue to surge in Florida with two more cases reported Sept. 4 by the state Department of Health.
That makes 25 cases so far this year. The two new cases were in Escambia County and Volusia County. according to FDOH data. The number of Vibrio vulnificus-related deaths this year has remained steady at five.
The five deaths happened in Bay, Broward, Hillsborough and St. Johns, the FDOH said.
Vibrio vulnificusa is a bacterial infection found in warm and brackish seawater. People can contract it by eating raw or undercooked seafood (especially raw oysters, the most common cause) or by exposing open cuts or wounds to the water.
If the bacteria infects a person, it can cause the skin and soft tissue around a wound to rapidly break down. Treatment may require limb amputation to stop the rapid flesh deterioration and the infection can be fatal.
Pensacola woman nearly loses leg, life to Vibrio Vulnificus
The FDOH does not specify the sources or dates of cases, but one of the three Escambia cases this year was Genevieve Gallagher, a Pensacola woman who contracted the infection after swimming with her daughter in Santa Rosa Sound off Pensacola Beach on July 27.
After she became septic three days later, she was kept intubated for nearly a week while doctors removed much of the tissue from her left leg below the knee, constantly scrubbed and cleaned out the wound, and fought to keep her organs from shutting down.
“They debrided my leg down to the bare meat,” Gallagher said in an interview from her hospital bed. “They took most of the muscle, almost down to the bone, basically. It went up almost to my knee, so it’s a pretty large amount, and it’s all the way around my leg.”
Vibrio Vulnificus cases rising in southern Gulf states
While Florida’s numbers are not yet out of the ordinary, Louisiana has reported an unusually high rate of infection this year with 22 people hospitalized and four deaths as of Aug. 26. Texas has only reported five cases so far, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Florida saw a record 82 Vibrio vulnificusa cases and 19 deaths in 2024, most of them after October when large areas of the state were flooded by back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Between 2014 and 2024, Florida averaged about 48 cases and 11 deaths per year, according to FDOH data. If you discount 2022 (when cases were higher due to flooding from Hurricane Ian) and 2024 (when cases surged after Hurricane Helene), the state averaged about 41 cases and 9 deaths per year.
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 5 people have died so far in 2025, as of Thursday, Sept. 4:
Between 2008 and 2025, 179 people in Florida have died from Vibrio vulnificus, according to FDOH records.
Where have flesh-eating bacteria cases been reported in Florida?
According to the FDOH, 25 cases have been reported so far in 2025, as of Thursday, Sept. 4:
What is Vibrio vulnificus? Why is it called the ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria?
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 rare, but they can result in tissue damage, spreading blisters, low blood pressure, fever, organ damage, sepsis and death.
Vibrio vulnificus is often called “flesh-eating” because infections can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection that destroys muscle and skin tissue. Without treatment, death can occur in just a few days.
Infections are most commonly caused by eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters, or by exposing cuts or wounds to floodwaters which spread brackish water into places it doesn’t usually get to.
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’?
Symptoms of a Vibrio vulnificus infection begin suddenly and quickly, usually less than 24 hours after exposure, according to the CDC. Common symptoms may include:
If you experience these symptoms after 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.”
How can I avoid contracting Vibrio vulnificus?
According to the FDOH and CDC, when eating seafood:
If you are swimming:
Contributing: Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Vibrio vulnificus Florida update: ‘Flesh-eating’ bacteria cases up to 25, here’s where
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, Daytona Beach News-Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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