‘Flesh-eating bacteria’ cases rising across the Gulf Coast, leaving 1 in 5 dead

Officials are cautioning against swimming in waters along the Gulf Coast as “flesh-eating bacteria” cases spike in the South, leaving eight people dead so far across Florida and Louisiana.

So far this year, Louisiana health officials have confirmed a staggering 17 cases of Vibrio vulnificus, a nasty bacterial infection that can cause blood poisoning, and four deaths.

The number marks a concerning uptick from the average seven annual cases the Bayou State has seen over the past decade, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

All 17 people were hospitalized, including the four who died.

Florida, despite being the more prominent vacation hotspot, is faring slightly better with 13 confirmed cases and four deaths.

Last year, 15 cases were reported in Pinellas County alone, just outside of Tampa, and 19 people died of the gnarly bacteria statewide, according to the Florida Department of Health.

The bacteria can enter people’s systems either through open wounds exposed to tainted waters or by eating infected seafood, particularly oysters, where it tends to “concentrate,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The flesh-eating germs thrive in warm, brackish waters between May and October, making the Gulf Coast the perfect breeding ground.

From there, it can cause a wound or bloodstream infection that, if left untreated, can become fatal in mere days and even require the amputation of entire limbs to “remove dead or infected tissue,” according to the CDC.

The bloodstream infection — the more fatal of the two — can cause blistering skin lesions, which give the appearance that something is gnawing away at a person from the inside out, giving the bacteria its infamous “flesh-eating” notoriety.

Other signs and symptoms can include fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration and discharge, according to the CDC.

Some people are at higher risk of death if they are infected with the bacteria, including those with preexisting health issues like cancer, diabetes, or liver disease, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

If caught early enough, many cases can be treated with antibiotics, according to the CDC.

Roughly 80,000 cases of vibriosis occur each year in the US, according to the health agency. A majority of the recorded cases were linked to contaminated food.