Florida records first fatal Vibrio vulnificus infection of 2024

Florida health officials reported the state's first death in 2024 from an infection caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that can lead to severe tissue damage known as vibriosis. The fatal case occurred in Palm Beach County, bringing the season's total to 12 confirmed infections as of July 30. In 2025 the state recorded 33 cases and five deaths.

Vibrio vulnificus thrives in warm, brackish coastal waters and can enter the body through open wounds or by consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that about 100 to 200 vibriosis cases linked to this bacterium are reported annually in the United States, primarily along the Gulf Coast, while other vibrio species cause roughly 80,000 infections each year.

The infection can progress rapidly, with symptoms such as fever, chills, painful skin lesions, blisters, low blood pressure, and confusion appearing within 24 hours of exposure. People with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions such as liver disease, diabetes, or kidney failure are at higher risk, and the CDC estimates a mortality rate of roughly 20 percent for those infected.

Public health experts advise cooking all seafood thoroughly, practicing good kitchen hygiene, and avoiding contact with salt or brackish water when wounds are present. Those at increased risk should wear protective clothing and wash any exposed skin promptly after contact with water or raw seafood.