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Florida Records Fifth Flesh-Eating Bacteria Death as Gulf Coast Cases Rise

Warming Gulf waters have driven an unusual Vibrio vulnificus surge, prompting health agencies to update safety guidelines.

(L): Grouping of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria revealed in the 13184x magnified scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image, 2005. (R): A boat chugs along the Gulf of Mexico as the sun sets over the the horizon, Thursday, March 19, 2020, in the St. George Island section of Eastpoint, Fla.

Overview

  • The Florida Department of Health has confirmed five deaths and 16 Vibrio vulnificus infections statewide in 2025, surpassing recent seasonal averages.
  • Louisiana has reported 17 cases and four fatalities this year, all requiring hospitalization and exceeding the 10-year average.
  • The latest death involved a 78-year-old man on St. George Island who contracted the bacterium through a fishing wound, suffering rapid tissue damage and multiple amputations before passing away on August 4.
  • Experts caution that Vibrio vulnificus thrives in brackish coastal waters when temperatures rise from May through October and can infect individuals through open wounds or by consuming raw or undercooked shellfish.
  • State health departments and the CDC have issued guidelines advising against water exposure with open cuts, recommending cooked seafood, and urging immediate medical attention at the first sign of infection.