America has recorded its first death of the year from a deadly flesh-eating bacteria that lurks in warm coastal waters, health officials say.
The individual was 80 to 84 years old, from Florida, and diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus, a pathogen that can infect open wounds in beachgoers and trigger life-threatening infections or amputations.
They lived in Palm Beach County, which includes popular tourist destination West Palm Beach. The patient died in June.
So far this year, Florida has recorded 11 infections with the disease, of which two were in Miami county.
Overall, the US has recorded at least 20 infections with the bacteria this year, including seven others in Mississippi, and one each in Alabama and Connecticut.
Vibrio thrives in warm surface saltwater above 68F (20C). It can also infest seafood such as oysters and then infect those that consume them.
From May to October, warm weather causes a surge in the population of the bacteria, raising the risk of infection.
Temperatures in Florida have already smashed previous records this year. In Fort Myers, the average temperature in May was 82.2F (28C), the second-hottest on record for the last 128 years.
The patient was in Palm Beach County, Florida, which includes popular tourist destination West Palm Beach (pictured above)
Although the disease remains rare, it is often deadly, and cases are rising. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say about 150 to 200 infections are recorded every year, but about one in five leads to a fatality.
Experts warn that warming oceans could lead to a spike in Vibrio infections, as the seas heat up earlier and remain warmer for longer – extending the window in which someone could be infected.
Nationwide, at least 72 Vibrio infections were recorded across 12 states last year, with most patients in the South.
Warning signs of an infection include skin redness or a rash that quickly becomes swollen or painful, as well as fluid-filled blisters, fever, pain and an altered mental state.
In severe cases, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause sepsis, a life-threatening complication that can kill within a day or two of becoming ill.
Older adults, those with compromised immune systems and those who consume raw or undercooked seafood are most at risk.
People can become infected with Vibrio vulnificus in two ways. The first is by eating raw or undercooked shellfish – particularly oysters – that contain the bacteria, leading to vomiting, watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fever and chills.
The other is through open wounds coming into contact with the bacteria in warm seawater, brackish water or raw seafood drippings.
Genevieve Gallagher, 49, caught Vibrio vulnificus after swimming at a beach off Florida’s coast. She was hospitalized and doctors warned that she was going into organ failure. She was infected in July 2025, and is not one of the current patients
Warning signs of a wound infection include skin redness or a rash that quickly becomes swollen or painful, fluid-filled blisters, fever and chills, low blood pressure, and warmth, discoloration, swelling or discharge around the wound.
In severe cases, the bacteria turn flesh black, potentially leading to amputation. Anyone with symptoms is urged to contact their healthcare provider immediately if they have eaten raw shellfish or had a wound exposed to ocean water.
In April this year, the New England Journal of Medicine reported the case of a 74-year-old man from Florida who was infected after jumping into water on the Gulf Coast.
The patient suffered a painful laceration on his right leg and was in pain for two days, before his skin changed color and his leg began to swell.
On the third day, he went to the Emergency Department, where doctors confirmed a Vibrio infection and rushed him into surgery. His right leg had to be amputated above the knee.
Genevieve Gallagher, 49, caught Vibrio vulnificus after swimming at a beach off Florida’s coast last July.
She felt fine after the swim, but three days later, her left leg began to swell and she developed agonizing blisters on her calf.
She told the Pensacola News Journal: ‘It feels like somebody took gasoline, poured it on my leg, and lit my leg on fire. That’s what it feels like. Just looking at my leg, it doesn’t even look like my leg anymore.’
Ben West, 38, was diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus, a severe bacterial infection that can cause kidney and liver failure. His fiancée, Jamie Knowles, took him to the hospital and has been caring for him
She believes the bacteria entered her body through a ‘small cut’ on her leg, which she said had a waterproof bandage on. Doctors treated her by removing most of the muscle on her left leg up to the knee.
Scientists are warning that Vibrio vulnificus cases have risen nationwide in recent years – and climate change may be to blame.
Warmer ocean temperatures allow the bacteria to proliferate earlier in the year and in areas that were previously too cold for them to survive. This could also lead to warmer temperatures in areas where oysters are raised, raising the risk that more shellfish may become contaminated.
While most cases remain in the South, researchers have warned that infections are creeping northward along the East Coast as waters warm.
While anyone can get sick from Vibrio vulnificus, certain groups are at higher risk of severe complications, including older adults, particularly those over 60, people with compromised immune systems, those with chronic liver disease, diabetes or kidney disease and people taking medications that suppress the immune system.
To reduce your risk, avoid swimming in warm ocean water if you have open wounds, cuts or scrapes, cover any wounds with waterproof bandages before entering the water, wash any cuts thoroughly with soap and water after swimming in the ocean, avoid eating raw or undercooked oysters and shellfish, and wear gloves when handling raw seafood.
