Louisiana reports five Vibrio vulnificus deaths in 2026
The Louisiana Department of Health said five people have died and four have been hospitalized with Vibrio vulnificus infections this year, a rise compared with the state’s ten-year average.
Five residents of Louisiana have died in 2026 after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria that can cause severe wound and bloodstream infections, the state Department of Health reported. The agency also noted four additional hospitalizations linked to the same pathogen. Over the past decade, Louisiana averaged seven cases and one death annually, indicating a notable increase this year.
All reported infections involved individuals with open wounds that were exposed to brackish or salt water, and each patient had pre-existing health conditions. The bacteria thrives in warm coastal waters, especially from May through October, and can also be transmitted through consumption of raw or undercooked seafood such as oysters.
"About one in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill," the department said.
The health department warned that people with liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, thalassemia, those on immunosuppressive therapy, or taking acid-reducing medication are at higher risk. It advised residents to avoid seawater contact with open wounds, to cover any cuts with waterproof bandages, to wash wounds promptly after exposure, and to cook seafood thoroughly. Additional precautions include washing hands after handling raw shellfish, keeping cooked and raw seafood separate, and wearing protective clothing and gloves when in coastal waters or handling raw seafood.