Why are flesh-eating bacteria expanding beyond traditional hotspots?
Scientists have recently documented the bacteria spreading to places that were once too cold for it to survive.
( NewsNation ) — As water temperatures continue rising , Vibrio, or the dangerous bacteria that can cause a “flesh-eating” disease, may become even more common.
Vibrio naturally occurs in warm, brackish coastal waters. It is especially prevalent in places like Florida, which has the highest case rate, according to the University of Florida . But scientists have recently documented the bacteria spreading to places that were once too cold for it to survive, including as far north as Maine, nonprofit environmental outlet Gist reported .
Vibrio infections “are one of the many incidental potential consequences of a warming climate,” Tobias Dörr, an associate professor of microbiology at Cornell University , said. He explained that while cases remain low, “there is a clear correlation between case load and ocean temperature reported in several studies — case rates tend to be highest in months where the water is the warmest.”
“An increase in water temperature could therefore cause more infections in the future,” Dörr said. “The somewhat good news is that Vibrios did not specifically evolve to live in the human body, and a healthy immune system can in many cases fight off these bacteria.”
Most people become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish , particularly oysters, though people can also be exposed when open wounds come into contact with contaminated water, according to the Florida Department of Health .
About 80,000 people get vibriosis every year, with 52,000 resulting from eating contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most cases aren’t life-threatening, but some people may also contract a more severe strain of the bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus.
Vibrio vulnificus can cause necrotizing fasciitis , a serious bacterial infection commonly referred to as “flesh-eating” disease. About 1 in 5 people die from the infection, sometimes within 48 hours. Officials in Florida and Louisiana have reported at least eight Vibrio-related deaths this year.
Nexstar’s Alix Martichoux contributed to this report.
Topics in this story
Gathered from external sources. Rights to this text belong to whoever originally published it.