Flesh-Eating Bacteria at Beaches: How to Protect Yourself While Swimming?

With the arrival of summer, beach visits increase, but so do the risks associated with certain pathogens present in the ocean. Health authorities in the United States, especially in the Gulf of Mexico region, have issued alerts about an increase in infections caused by a bacterium that severely affects skin and tissues.

This is Vibrio vulnificus, an organism popularly known as the «flesh-eating bacterium.» This pathogen thrives in warm, brackish coastal waters and can enter the human body through exposed wounds or recent cuts.

This year, the spread of the bacterium has exceeded the averages of the previous decade in some southern states. As climate change warms ocean waters, the ideal habitat for this bacterium expands, forcing swimmers to take stricter precautions before entering the sea.

What Is Happening in the Gulf of Mexico?

The state of Louisiana has confirmed 9 cases of infections from Vibrio vulnificus this year. Authorities reported that all affected individuals were hospitalized and 5 of them died. This represents a concerning increase, as during the last decade, the state recorded an annual average of 7 cases and one death.

Florida also reported a significant impact, with 14 infections and 2 deaths so far this year. Historically, this state tends to record more cases during hurricane and tropical storm seasons, when water levels change and people come into contact with stagnant and contaminated waters.

Global warming is accelerating this problem. A 2023 study warned that rising ocean temperatures are displacing the bacterium northward at a rate of 49 kilometers per year. By 2041, infections could double and reach densely populated regions near New York.

How to Protect Yourself Before and After Swimming?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that the bacterium enters the body primarily through cuts, scrapes, recent surgical incisions, piercings, or tattoos. If you have an open wound, the best recommendation is to avoid saltwater or brackish water altogether.

If you decide to enter the water, it is essential to cover the wound with a waterproof bandage. However, no bandage guarantees 100% protection. That’s why, after leaving the ocean or handling raw shellfish, you should immediately wash any scrape or cut with abundant clean running water and soap.

In addition to exposure in the water, another common route of infection is the consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters. It is impossible to detect whether an oyster is contaminated to the naked eye, so authorities recommend boiling, frying, or steaming these foods until they are completely cooked.