Nine People Infected with “Flesh-Eating” Bacteria in Louisiana, Five Have Died

Nine people in the US state of Louisiana have been infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium often described as “flesh-eating,” and five of them have died since the beginning of the year, NBC News reports.

Amid the rise in cases, the state Department of Health has urged residents to take precautions.

According to the department, all reported cases this year were associated with exposure of open wounds to seawater. All of those infected also had underlying health conditions.

By comparison, Louisiana recorded an average of seven Vibrio vulnificus infections and one death per year during the same period over the previous 10 years.

Vibrio bacteria naturally occur in coastal waters. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of infection increases during the summer as water temperatures rise.

People can become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, as well as through contact between an open wound and saltwater or brackish water.

According to the CDC, approximately one in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection die.

Although anyone can become infected, people at increased risk include those with liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, or thalassemia, as well as people taking medications that suppress the immune system, drugs that reduce stomach acid, or those who have recently undergone stomach surgery.

Symptoms of the infection include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills.

Louisiana health officials recommend seeking medical attention immediately if, after a wound has been exposed to saltwater or brackish water, it becomes red, swollen, painful, hot, or changes color. Patients should tell their healthcare provider about the water exposure.

Louisiana also saw an increase in Vibrio vulnificus infections last year, with at least 17 cases reported. According to health authorities, at least 10 people died from the infection in Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina’s Outer Banks in 2025.