Cases of flesh-eating bacteria infections are rising across the Southeast, with North Carolina reporting 59 Vibrio infections and one death this year, WRAL reported.
A man in the Outer Banks has been hospitalized for over a week after a small cut on his leg developed into a Vibrio vulnificus infection. This highlights the growing concern over Vibrio cases in the region.
“Every water sample we collect along the coast now contains some kind of Vibrio. That wasn’t true two decades ago,” said Rachel Noble, a microbiologist at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Sciences.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 59 Vibrio illnesses and one death statewide through July 31, marking the second-highest midsummer total in five years.
Sea-surface temperatures off Cape Hatteras have remained in the mid-80s this summer, about two degrees above the 30-year average, contributing to the spread of the bacteria.
Rachel Noble explained that warmer winters allow low levels of the bacteria to survive year-round, rebounding quickly when temperatures rise.
Heavy rainfall dilutes salt levels in sounds and tidal creeks, creating ideal conditions for Vibrio growth by providing nutrients through runoff.
With sea-surface temperatures rising and environmental conditions favoring bacterial growth, health officials are closely monitoring the situation as Vibrio infections continue to pose a significant health risk in the Southeast.
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