All nine confirmed patients were hospitalized after their open wounds were exposed to seawater, according to state health information.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Five people in Louisiana have died this year after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly bacterium found naturally in coastal waters, as health officials report an unusually high death toll during the 2026 warm-water season.
Louisiana had recorded nine confirmed Vibrio vulnificus cases and five deaths as of early August. All nine patients were hospitalized, had underlying health conditions and became ill after open wounds were exposed to seawater. During the same period over the previous decade, the state averaged about seven cases and one death, making this year’s fatality count notably higher than the recent norm.
Vibrio bacteria live naturally in salt water and brackish water, which is a mixture of fresh and salt water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the bacteria are found in greater numbers from May through October as coastal waters warm. People can become infected when bacteria enter an open wound or after eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.
Vibrio vulnificus is among the species capable of causing severe and life-threatening illness. The CDC says about one in five people who develop a Vibrio vulnificus infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming sick. Severe infections can spread into the bloodstream or damage tissue around a wound, and some patients require intensive medical care or surgery. The term “flesh-eating bacteria” is often used in media reports because some Vibrio infections can cause necrotizing fasciitis, a serious infection in which tissue around a wound dies.
The Louisiana cases reported this year have involved people considered more vulnerable to severe disease. The CDC identifies liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV and thalassemia among conditions that can raise the risk of serious complications. Immune-suppressing treatment, medicines that reduce stomach acid and recent stomach surgery can also increase a person’s risk. Louisiana officials have not publicly released identifying information about the nine patients or detailed locations where each exposure occurred.
Louisiana has experienced elevated Vibrio activity before. In 2025, state health officials reported 17 Vibrio vulnificus cases and four deaths by July. By September of that year, the total had risen to 26 cases and five deaths. Most patients in those reports had underlying medical conditions, and most infections involved wounds exposed to seawater. The 2026 figures again show wound exposure as the common factor among the state’s confirmed patients.
The increase comes as other Gulf Coast states continue tracking the bacterium during the summer. Florida had confirmed 14 Vibrio vulnificus cases and two deaths in 2026 as of Aug. 6, according to the Florida Department of Health. The state recorded 33 cases and five deaths during all of 2025. Florida has experienced much larger totals after major storms, including 74 cases and 17 deaths in 2022 and 82 cases and 19 deaths in 2024. State health officials linked unusual increases during those years to the effects of hurricanes Ian and Helene.
Health agencies say coastal water exposure is a particular concern when a person has a cut, scrape, recent surgical incision, piercing or tattoo that has not healed. Louisiana officials have urged people with open wounds to avoid salt water and brackish water when possible or keep wounds covered with waterproof bandages. They also say wounds that come into contact with coastal water should be washed thoroughly. A wound that becomes red, swollen, painful, warm or discolored after exposure can signal a serious infection requiring prompt medical evaluation.
Food is another route of infection. Vibrio can build up in oysters and other shellfish living in contaminated coastal water, and there is no reliable way to determine whether an oyster carries the bacteria simply by looking at it. Public health agencies recommend thoroughly cooking shellfish and preventing raw seafood and its juices from contaminating other foods. People at higher risk of serious illness are also urged to use protective gloves when handling raw seafood.
Vibrio infections remain uncommon compared with many other illnesses, but Vibrio vulnificus can progress rapidly when severe disease develops. Health officials are continuing to monitor Louisiana cases during the remaining warm-water months. As of early August, the state had released no further information identifying those who died or specifying the locations of the individual water exposures.
Author note: Last updated August 9, 2026.