Florida health officials have warned locals and visitors of a fatal flesh-eating bacterium called vibrio vulnificus that survives in warm saltwater and oceans, infecting 11 persons this year, of which two were already killed.
In 2013, 41 persons were infected, killing 11 of them, according to an issued statement by the Department of Health (DOH) on July 25.
DOH deputy press secretary Pamela Crane said that the bacterium is "rare" but still they "wanted to get the warning out there to make sure people are educated about it." Besides being rare, the vibrio bacterium is likewise underreported.
Meanwhile, DOH spokesperson Tim O’Connor also said that while this is something people should take seriously, there are still other bacteria people could be faced with.
The DOH said one can get the vibrio vulnificus infection either by eating raw shellfish, especially oysters, or following a direct contact of swimmers with scrapes and open wounds in oceans or seawater. Person-to-person transmission, however, is not yet evident.
Once the person is infected with such bacteria, symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting can be felt. The bacteria can also result to a skin infection on open wounds or scrapes, which may later contribute to ulcers and skin breakdown.
For healthy individuals, the vibrio infection can lead to a mild disease. For people with weakened immune systems, it can bring about serious health concerns, especially those suffering from chronic liver disease, as well as serious wound infections that may even require surgery and, at the most, amputation for complete recovery.
The vibrio bacteria can enter the bloodstream as well that can cause both simple and life-threatening sickness, showing symptoms like chills, fever, blistering skin lesions and decreased blood pressure. Infections in the bloodstream are deadly by around 50 percent most of the time.
Antibiotics can help increase the chance of survival, the DOH said. It is advised that treatment should be sought immediately once there is suspected infection from it. Otherwise, not much can be done to save the patient.
To avoid the vibrio vulnificus infection, the DOH advised to not eat raw shellfish or oysters and instead cook these thoroughly. Eat these shellfish at once after cooking and then refrigerate any leftover. Cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other food items with raw seafood and its juices should also be avoided. Health officials also advised the use of protective clothing, such as gloves, when holding raw shellfish.
