Health Officials Warn Public of Dangerous 'Vibrio vulnificus' Bacteria in Coastal Waters

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public health experts in the United States are issuing a renewed warning about Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially life-threatening bacterium found in warm coastal waters. This alert is especially critical for individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic liver disease, who are most susceptible to severe infection.

Vibrio vulnificus poses a risk through two primary modes of transmission. The most common is through direct contact with seawater or brackish water containing the bacteria, particularly when an individual has an open wound, cut, or scrape. This can lead to severe soft-tissue infections, including a rapid-spreading condition known as necrotizing fasciitis, or "flesh-eating disease."

The second mode of infection is through the consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters, harvested from contaminated areas. Ingesting the bacteria can result in serious gastrointestinal illness, characterized by symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.

Health officials are urging the public to take precautionary measures to minimize the risk of exposure. These include:

• Avoiding water exposure with open wounds: Anyone with a cut, scrape, or wound should avoid swimming or wading in warm coastal waters. If contact is unavoidable, the wound should be covered completely with a waterproof bandage.
• Practicing safe seafood consumption: All shellfish should be thoroughly cooked before consumption. High-risk individuals are advised to avoid raw shellfish entirely.

While cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection are considered rare, they carry a high fatality rate, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that approximately one in five infected individuals dies. The renewed warnings serve as a critical reminder of the importance of these simple preventive actions, particularly as temperatures rise.