Vibrio vulnificus symptoms to know as Florida sees another ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ case

• Another person has contracted flesh-eating bacteria in Florida , bringing the state’s total to 12 cases and one death so far this year.
• The latest patient is someone in their late 30s in Bay County, according to the Florida health department. The state saw a death in June, when a patient between 80 and 84 years old died in Palm Beach County. Florida recorded 33 cases and five deaths in 2025.
• Vibrio vulnificus thrives in warm brackish water, with infections typically occurring from May to October. The CDC estimates that there are 80,000 cases of vibriosis each year in the United States, with a high fatality rate of one in five.
• People can contract the bacteria by consuming raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or when the bacteria enters the body through open wounds or breaks in the skin while in ocean or brackish water.
• Severe infections often require multiple surgeries or amputation, and are more prevalent in individuals who are elderly, have weakened immune systems, or suffer from chronic conditions like liver disease or diabetes.