What Is Vibrio? Know About Flesh-Eating Bacteria To Stay Safe In Water

A Florida man named Tyler King was infected by Vibrio even without stepping into the water. King managed to save his body from any kind of “serious life-altering changes” by quickly getting medical treatment.

But everybody who contracted the deadly bacteria, which is popularly known as the flesh-eating bacteria, was not as lucky as King. A 12-year-old girl who developed a rare flesh-eating disease after visiting Pensacola last month is still recovering. And a 77-year-old woman who contracted another type of life-threatening bacteria while scraping her legs in the water died.

As the coastal waters are getting warmer in the summer months, the risk of coming into contact with the potential deadly bacteria has increased. Although some people may decided to stay out of water to be safe, few others may still look forward to a safer option for venturing into the water.

For those who would like to have fun in the water and be safe, here are a few things to know about the flesh-eating bacteria:

What is Vibrio?

It is a type of deadly bacteria that is mostly found in certain coastal waters. The concentration of flesh-eating bacteria is higher when the temperature rises, i.e., between the months of May and October, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are different types of Vibrio species that could be harmful to humans. Some of the most common types of flesh-eating bacteria found in the U.S. are Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus. Among the three, Vibrio vulnificus is the most dangerous one as some of the cases related to it have led to amputations.

Where is the flesh-eating bacteria found?

The habitat of the bacteria depend on the species. While the Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus can be found in brackish, warm waters, Vibrio parahaemolyticus live in saltier waters.

Location wise, the deadly species are mostly found in the south eastern coast of the U.S. Some of the common spots are Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay, stated Delmarva Now.

How is the infection contracted and how does it develop?

The most common source of Vibrio infection is tainted seafood. The infection can also stem by eating raw shellfish, especially oysters or even by sea water exposure of open wounds.

Both Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus can cause nausea, stomach cramps, watery diarrhea, fever and vomiting. The infection can develop to a serious stage within 12 to 24 hours and lead to tissue death, shock, sepsis and amputations.

Some of the troubling symptoms of this infection that requires immediate medical attention are pain, redness, large blisters and swelling on the skin.

“They can cause very aggressive destruction and inflammation of the skin, fever, even to the point where they'll end up in the ICU,” NBC2 quoted Dr. Mary Beth Saunders, Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Lee Health.

Who is at risk of developing flesh-eating bacteria infection?

People with weakened immune systems, diabetes, liver problems or those who have high iron content in their blood are at risk of developing this infection. According to Dr. Saunders from Lee Health, a weak immune system along with open scrapes and cuts on swimmers can cause this infection.

“Whenever you're swimming in the gulf or the ocean, you can get small scrapes on your skin, and then bacteria even common to your skin can cause infection,” she added.

How to prevent flesh-eating bacteria infection?

There are several safety measures one can take to protect themselves from contracting a Vibrio infection. Some of them are to avoid eating raw seafood, clean the wounds and cover them with waterproof tapes, wear protective gloves while cleaning seashells and crabs, properly cook all the seafood including fish and crab, avoiding murky or cloudy warm water and avoiding swimming in places where it has rained in the last two days.