Flesh-Eating Bacteria Kills Virginia Resident: Report

HAMPTON ROADS, VA -- A Virginia resident has died after contracting a flesh-eating disease, according to a report.

The Washington Post reports that Virginia Department of Health officials are withholding details about the person's name or where exactly the incident happened, but it involved the flesh-eating Vibrio bacteria in the Hampton Roads area.

A total of 23 people in Virginia have contracted Vibrio so far this year, but this is the first death from the disease.

Vibrio is naturally occurring and found in brackish or warm salt water. The bacteria enters the body through a cut or open wound. Another way to contract it is by eating contaminated shellfish. Symptoms include redness around the wound, swelling, fever, and fatigue.

"Vibriosis causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the United States every year," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website states. "People with vibriosis become infected by consuming raw or undercooked seafood or exposing a wound to seawater. Most infections occur from May through October when water temperatures are warmer."

There are no details on the circumstances surrounding the death. Also this month, a Florida man died after eating a raw oyster that was contaminated with Vibrio.

Infections are extremely rare, but they are most common in the warmer months from May through October when the water is warmer.

"Roughly a dozen Vibrio species are known to cause a bacterial disease called vibriosis in humans, with the most common in the United States being V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, and V. alginolyticus," states the Virginia Department of Health website. "The Vibrio species that cause vibriosis naturally live in the salt or brackish (i.e., somewhat salty) waters of Virginia’s coastal zone. People with vibriosis become infected by eating raw or undercooked seafood or exposing a wound to seawater. Most infections occur from May through October when water temperatures are warmer. Vibrio vulnificus, in particular, can cause severe or fatal infections. Individuals with pre-existing medical conditions such as liver disease, diabetes, HIV, cancer, and certain stomach disorders are at greater risk of becoming sick with vibriosis and experiencing severe complications."

VDH offers the following tips for preventing a Vibrio infection:

• Eat cooked seafood, which tastes just as delicious!
• Avoid contact with seawater or preparing raw seafood such as oysters and shrimp if you have an open wound, even if it’s a minor cut or scrape. Or cover your wound with a waterproof bandage.
• Wash wounds and cuts with soap and clean water if they have been exposed to seawater, raw seafood, or juices from seafood.

Image via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention