Floridians Face Health Impacts from Hurricane Ian

Posted: October 24, 2022 11:08 am

The image of a bacteria that eats flesh may shock even the most adventurous horror movie fan, but it actually exists. The bacteria Vibrio vulnificus causes the skin around a wound to die if necrotizing fasciitis occurs, making the idea of eating flesh not really accurate.

When tissue necrotizes, it dies and inflames the flesh that lies beneath the skin’s surface. The aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022 abnormally increased the number of cases in Florida,

Assessing the Increase in Confirmed Cases

Statistics from Florida Health show that confirmed cases in 2022 nearly doubled the state’s 36 cases in 2020 and 34 in 2021. In addition, an increase in deaths tragically occurred as well. Seven people died from Vibrio vulnificus in 2020, and the following years produced 10 deaths in 2021 before reaching 13 fatalities in 2022. All but three of the cases and six of the deaths occurred in Lee County where Ft. Myers experienced extraordinary devastation.

Receiving Warning about Vibrio Vulnificus

The Lee County Department of Health notified the public to take precautions to avoid the illness that the flesh-eating bacteria causes. It grows faster in brackish sea water during the warmer months, thriving in floods and standing water. In addition, filth from overwhelmed sewer systems can significantly increase bacteria levels.

Understanding How Infection Starts

Anyone with an open wound, cut or even a scratch may have exposure to Vibrio vulnificus in the brackish water that swamped the Ft. Myers area after Ian landed. The bacteria can break down the skin around open wounds and create ulcers. Moreover, the infection can produce severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems.

Chronic liver disease increases vulnerability, and drugs that curtail the body’s germ-fighting capacity can affect the severity, A mild case can produce stomach pain, chills and fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Life-threatening cases may cause decreased blood pressure and septic shock.

Getting Infected from Contaminated Food

Most cases of Vibrio vulnificus come from eating or preparing contaminated fish, shrimp and oysters. The Centers for Disease Control reports that 80,000 illnesses from vibriosis occur every year, and about 52,000 result from contaminated food.

Noting the Cause of Flesh-eating Bacteria Cases

Research at the University of Florida’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences shows the likelihood that streptococcus bacteria most often serves as the cause of the infection. The same bacteria that causes strep throat may cause it too. Researchers describe the early signs of infection as redness, warmth and swelling in the injured area. Because the disease spreads quickly, anyone who has it needs to get medical attention promptly, probably including antibiotics. An injury as insignificant as an insect bite or as great as a surgical wound can give bacteria a path to enter the body.

Attracting Nationwide Attention

In the dismal aftermath of Hurricane Ian, The Washington Post reports that the disease causes Floridians to cope with a less visible consequence. Baylor’s dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine calls the Gulf Coast the epicenter of the disease. Well-known for his televised commentary on COVID-19, Peter Hotez cites several factors that exacerbate vibrio infections. Climate change contributes to it in addition to aggressive urbanization.

While residents of Lee County try to put lives back together and clear the massive amount of debris that litters the area, the flesh-eating bacteria remains a constant, if low-level, concern. Experts who fault climate change for increasing the microbial threat note that intense storms like Ian surge brackish water onto the land. Waters that get warmer and sea levels that rise provides an environment that welcomes the disease.

Acknowledging the Impacts

A Jacksonville biology and chemistry professor noted that the vibrio bacteria thrive when water temperatures exceed 68 degrees. In estuaries and salt marches where fresh and saltwater mix, the bacteria provide a concentrated source for oysters and mussels.

Uncooked shellfish pose extreme health concerns, and food handlers need to wear protective gloves. Juices from raw seafood that have contact with a puncture injury can cause infection.

In the floods in Lee County, people waded through high waters without seeing nails or sharp objects that cause damage to soft tissue. Overcome with the need to clean up the debris, many people may ignore injuries that allow strep to grow. A delay in seeking medical attention can require radical surgical treatment. However, most flesh-eating bacteria do not have the necessary properties to sicken people.

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