Second Florida death related to Vibrios bacteria reported in Marion County

Florida health officials have reported the year’s second death related to Vibrio vulnificus, an infection caused by a so-called flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters.

On Thursday, a state Department of Health database listed a Vibrio death in Marion County in July.

No details were added, but another state database included two Vibrio patients this year in Marion, one 60 to 64 years old between July 25 and Aug. 1 and another 70 to 74 years old during the final week of May.

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The state’s first death this year from Vibrio was reported in June and involved a Palm Beach County resident who was 80 to 84 years old.

In both cases, only the reporting dates are known, not the days of death.

Florida, which tends to have more infections than other states, has reported 14 Vibrio vulnificus cases this year, compared with 33 cases and five deaths for all of last year.

Records show more cases in years when Florida is hit by tropical storms and hurricanes.

Vibrio bacteria thrive in seawater and in the brackish mix of fresh and saltwater found in estuaries and lagoons.

Vibrio vulnificus can enter the body through unhealed cuts and scrapes, recent piercings and tattoos, and recent surgical incisions.

People should immediately wash cuts and scrapes thoroughly with soap and clean running water after encountering coastal waters or raw seafood, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

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Most infections are reported from May to October, and most happen in states along the Gulf Coast. Doctors say the Gulf is an ideal environment with the right amounts of salt and heat to let this organism proliferate.

Symptoms include fever, chills and hot red areas on the skin that turn dark and blister.

Oysters are a particular risk, and there is no way to tell if an oyster is contaminated just by looking at it. Health officials also offer cooking instructions for clams, mussels and other shellfish. They recommend throwing away any with open shells before boiling or steaming.

People should wash hands with soap and water after handling raw shellfish and wear protective gloves if they have a weakened immune system and are at a higher risk of infection.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.