Overview
- Florida’s Department of Health reports 11 Vibrio vulnificus infections and four fatalities so far in 2025 across Bay, Broward, Hillsborough and St. Johns counties.
- The naturally occurring bacterium thrives in warm coastal and brackish waters and can infect skin through open wounds or via raw shellfish consumption.
- Infections that enter the bloodstream carry a fatality rate of up to 50 percent and often require immediate antibiotic therapy.
- A 2024 surge to 82 cases and 19 deaths followed Hurricanes Milton and Helene, highlighting how storm-driven saltwater intrusion elevates exposure.
- Experts warn that climate change will extend hurricane seasons and raise sea temperatures, potentially driving future infections higher and increasing associated costs.