A dangerous bacteria is spreading faster along U.S. coastlines as oceans warm. Vibrio vulnificus lives in warm, brackish water and can infect people through open cuts or raw shellfish. Once mostly limited to the Gulf Coast, cases are now showing up farther north, even in New England.
The CDC says one in five people who get this infection die, sometimes in just two days. It can cause severe illness, blood infections, and even “flesh-eating” disease that may require amputations. In Massachusetts, dozens have already been hospitalized this year, though no deaths have been reported.
Experts say warming seas, more seafood, and more swimming are fueling the spread. With a death rate as high as 33%, Vibrio vulnificus is one of the most dangerous foodborne bacteria. Doctors recommend avoiding raw shellfish, covering cuts before swimming, and getting urgent care if a wound becomes infected quickly.
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