Officials warn Florida beach-goers about flesh-eating bacteria

UPDATE: 7/31/14 ? Upon talking to Fla. Dept. of Health officials, Saludify has learned that this kind of bacteria is actually normal for this time of the year, and even though it gives the appearance of eating flesh, that’s not the case at all, but it can still be a deadly infection if not treated. Here are the precautions officials say you should take to still be able to enjoy the beach without worries: Precautions to avoid Vibrio vulnificus infections.

—

Ten people have died and dozens have been hospitalized in Florida due to elevated levels of the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus in the past few years.

SEE ALSO: Woman finds flesh-eating worms in her ear after trip to Peru

The overgrowth of this organism prompts Florida officials to issue a summer advisory to potential beach-goers that warmer-than-normal water temperatures normally cause this bacteria to flourish.

According to the Florida Department of Health, anyone with a compromised immune system or an open wound should avoid swimming in the ocean at this point in time. Individuals who choose to swim regardless should be certain to wash off as soon as they leave the water.

“Since it is naturally found in warm marine waters, people with open wounds can be exposed to Vibrio vulnificus through direct contact with seawater,” the Florida Department of Health said in a statement.

But contact with sea water isn’t the only way people in Florida are contracting the flesh-eating bacteria. Officials indicate Vibio vulnificus can also be consumed through contaminated shellfish; in fact, Florida isn’t the only state reporting a high number of cases. ABC News reports Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi have also recorded cases, and a 2013 outbreak linked to contaminated shellfish sickened at least 104 people in 13 states.

“Among healthy people, ingestion of V. vulnificus can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain,” states the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). “In immunocompromised persons, particularly those with chronic liver disease, V. vulnificus can infect the bloodstream, causing a severe and life-threatening illness characterized by fever and chills, decreased blood pressure (septic shock), and blistering skin lesions. V. vulnificus bloodstream infections are fatal about 50 percent of the time.”

Survival rates for those infected improved drastically the sooner treatment is initiated, though sometimes amputation of the affected area (if a wound was involved) is necessary. In addition to surgical intervention, aggressive antibiotic treatment is needed. If the condition is caught in a timely manner, there are few long-term health consequences as the result of  Vibrio vulnificus infection.

The CDC recommends the following precautions to avoid Vibrio vulnificus infections:

• Avoid exposing open wounds to warm saltwater, brackish water or to raw shellfish.
• Wear protective clothing when handling raw shellfish.
• Cook shellfish thoroughly and avoid food contamination with juices from raw seafood.
• Eat shellfish promptly after cooking and refrigerate leftovers.

“It’s definitely something to take serious, but there are a number of other bacteria, that you could run into,” said Tim O’Connor, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health. “It’s definitely something we need to be more wary of especially if it’s going to affect us sooner than later, it needs to be known.”

The Florida Health Department isn’t telling people to stay out of the water completely, but with 32 people hospitalized, the agency says those visiting and living in the state should be on high alert.

SEE ALSO: Brave flesh-eating bacteria victim Aimee Copeland gets bionic hands