Scientists have raised the alarm about a flesh-eating bacteria that could be present in every US East Coast state within the next 20 years.
According to researchers at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, annual cases of Vibrio vulnificus could double by the 2040s due to warming oceans due to climate change.
They say climate change is allowing the bacteria to survive in waters further north than ever before, while rising sea levels could push the organism further inland.
The CDC estimates that 80,000 Americans are infected with Vibrio each year, although there are only 1,200 to 2,000 confirmed cases each year because it is often misdiagnosed
The fatal infections are caused by the bacterium V. vulnificus, known as the flesh-eating bacterium because skin infections can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, which is the death of flesh around a wound
Some infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a serious infection in which the flesh around a wound dies (see example).
The toxic bacteria thrive in warm, salty, shallow waters along the coast and react to even the slightest change in temperature.
It is currently most common in North Carolina coastal waters.
Human infections are rare but peak in the summer months. People get sick from open cuts or other skin lesions that come into contact with seawater.
Infection can also occur when someone eats raw or undercooked fish.
Infections spread rapidly in humans and can seriously damage human flesh. You cannot be infected by another person.
Symptoms are watery diarrhea, often accompanied by stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.
Other symptoms include chills, skin lesions and a fatal drop in blood pressure.
Some infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a serious infection in which the flesh around a wound dies.
About one in five people with the infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill. Others may require critical care or limb amputations.
People usually die from the infection when it gets into the bloodstream and causes sepsis.
Graphs showing the number of people at risk based on different global warming scenarios, as well as the number of kilometers of coastline where the bacteria can be found
Projections of the future distribution of the bacteria at medium to high greenhouse gas emissions
Anyone can get the infection, but it can be worse for people with compromised immune systems — especially those with chronic liver disease or who take medications that reduce the body’s ability to fight germs.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, used CDC data to track V. vulnificus infections between 1988 and 2018.
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The scientists focused on cases along the East Coast, a known global hotspot for infections.
They found it there Eastern US between 1988 and 2018, Wound infections increased eightfold from 10 to 80 cases a year, and the bacteria moved 30 miles north each year.
According to the CDC, V. vulnificus causes 80,000 illnesses a year, but most of these are from contaminated food.
Recently, climate change has allowed the bacteria to migrate north and multiply.
Researchers predict it could spread as far as Philadelphia.
They designed scenarios that used different greenhouse gas emissions to predict how far the flesh-eating bacteria would spread.
In the 2040s, V. vulnificus could affect densely populated areas around New York.
At medium to high emission levels, there may be around 140 to 200 infections per year.
The researchers also found that the economic burden of the bacteria is more than $28 million per year for the treatment.
They said the total annual cost associated with the pathogen is estimated at $320 million, making it the most expensive pathogen to treat in the United States.
Previously, flooding from Hurricane Ian in Florida caused an increase in infections.
Sewage discharge into coastal waters caused by the hurricane encouraged bacterial growth.
In just a few weeks, Florida had nearly as many infections as it did in all of 2021.
Six people died in Lee County from wound infections exposed to Hurricane Ian’s floodwaters seeping into their homes or during cleanup efforts after the storm.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
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