Two people are dead after they contracted a flesh-eating bacterium eating raw oysters in Louisiana, a state health official said.
The deaths were due to Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that is naturally occurring in warm coastal waters and more common between May and October.
Health officials warn that Vibrio bacteria can cause illness if an open wound is exposed to coastal waters or through consuming raw or undercooked seafood.
The Louisiana Health Department reports that, besides the two deaths linked to oysters, there have been two additional fatalities from the bacteria in Louisiana this year.
The department emphasized that “many individuals infected with Vibrio vulnificus become severely ill, requiring intensive care or even limb amputation,” and that “approximately one in five of those infected succumb to the illness, often within a day or two of onset.”
The state has experienced “a higher number” of Vibrio vulnificus cases and deaths this year, the department said.
This year, 22 cases leading to hospitalization have been documented among Louisiana residents, with over 80% resulting from open wound exposure to seawater.
According to a July news release from the department, “in the last decade, the state has averaged seven cases of Vibrio vulnificus and one death annually.”
The oyster-related fatalities were disclosed this week at a Louisiana Oyster Task Force meeting, which featured data presentations on illnesses from consuming Louisiana oysters.
One person was a Louisiana resident, and the other was from out of state, the spokesperson said.
In Florida, the state Health Department has reported 23 cases of Vibrio vulnificus this year, resulting in five deaths.
