5 die this year from flesh-eating bacteria in Louisiana

A fifth person has died after contracting a flesh-eating bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus.

Health officials in Louisiana announced last week that a fifth person died from the bacteria and that people need to take precautions to prevent an infection. The Department of Health did not disclose how the person became infected.

It can happen when someone with an open wound is exposed to coastal waters or when someone eats raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters, the Department of Health said.

At least two of the deaths were attributed to eating contaminated raw oysters, CBS News reported.

The agency said it has seen a higher-than-normal number of cases and deaths.

There have been 26 cases in Louisiana so far this year, with five deaths. Of the cases, 85% were due to wound exposure to seawater, with 24 of them having an underlying health condition.

Over the past decade, the average was 10 cases and one death each year in the state.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that about 1 in 5 people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection can die, CNN reported.

Nationally, Louisiana said there are between 150 and 200 cases annually of Vibrio vulnificus infections, with about half coming from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

There have been 28 cases so far in Florida with at least five deaths, WFTV reported.

There were 10 documented cases in Alabama and three in Mississippi, with one case in the latter resulting in a death, CBS News reported.

While typically found on the Gulf Coast, infectious disease expert Dr. Fred Lopez from LSU Health said that the disease is being found further north.

“It’s not just a Gulf Coast phenomenon any longer,” Lopez told CBS News. “Global warming is moving infections with Vibrio vulnificus up the East Coast.”

To stay safe, Mississippi’s State Health Officer, Dr. Daniel Edney, told CNN last month to avoid water if you are in the coastal area and if you have cuts or wounds that could become infected.

You should wash cuts and wounds with soap and water if you’re in brackish or salt water or have been exposed to raw seafood or raw seafood juices, the Louisiana Health Department said.

If you are at high risk, wear clothes and shoes to protect yourself from cuts when in brackish water and wear gloves when handling raw seafood.

Anyone can get the infection, the Louisiana Health Department said, but some medical conditions will increase the risk of infection and severe complications.

They include:

Liver disease
Cancer
Diabetes
HIV
Thalassemia
Taking immune-suppressing treatments
Taking medication that decreases stomach acids
Recent stomach surgery
Pregnant

Signs and symptoms will vary from gastrointestinal issues to wound or bloodstream infections, depending on the type of Vibrio bacteria that a person is exposed to. The Louisiana Department of Health said there are about a dozen species that can get someone sick and the illness depends on the species of the bacteria.

Gastrointestinal infection symptoms include: