Five Dead in Louisiana This Year From Flesh-Eating Bacteria, Health Officials Say
All nine Vibrio vulnificus patients reported in the state in 2026 were hospitalized after wounds were exposed to seawater, the Louisiana Department of Health said.
A flesh-eating bacterium found in warm coastal waters has killed at least five people in Louisiana so far this year, state health officials reported Thursday.
The Louisiana Department of Health said there have been at least nine cases of Vibrio vulnificus in the state in 2026. All nine patients were hospitalized.
All nine contracted the bacterium through wounds that were exposed to seawater, the department said, and all had underlying health conditions.
Over the past 10 years, Louisiana has averaged seven cases of Vibrio vulnificus per year and one death, according to the health department. In 2025, the state recorded at least 26 cases and five deaths.
The Florida Department of Health has recorded two deaths from the bacterium so far this year. It reported 19 deaths in 2024 and five in 2025. The agency said Florida saw higher rates of infection after major storms, such as Hurricane Helene in 2024, that brought deluges of floodwater and standing water to communities.
Rising water temperatures caused by climate change are also contributing to the risk of infection in new regions, experts say. This spring, Vibrio vulnificus was discovered in water samples taken in coastal areas of New York's Long Island.
About a dozen Vibrio species can cause the illness known as vibriosis, but Vibrio vulnificus is the most serious and life-threatening. About one in five people who contract it will die from it, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also lead to amputations.
Infections are most commonly contracted between May and October, when ocean water temperatures are warmest, the CDC said. They can occur when an open wound is exposed to seawater, or through eating raw or undercooked shellfish, specifically oysters.
People with preexisting conditions are most susceptible to serious illness, the Louisiana health department said, including those with cancer, liver disease, HIV or thalassemia, and those receiving immune-suppression treatments.
Symptoms of a wound infection can include fever, skin discoloration, drainage or discharge, or pain and swelling around the wound. A bloodstream infection can bring fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure and skin lesions. Gastrointestinal symptoms can include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
To avoid infection, the department advises the public to stay out of salt or brackish water, where saltwater and freshwater mix, and to wash wounds with soap after a possible exposure. When preparing seafood, it says, cook it thoroughly and keep cooked seafood separate from raw seafood.
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