Louisiana and Texas Citizens Warned About Consuming Raw Seafood

(KTDY) - Flesh-eating bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, have claimed the lives of several people along the Gulf Coast, and now medical professionals are listing ways you can protect yourself from this deadly bacterium.

The flesh-eating bacteria has been fatal for some along the Gulf Coast, while also forcing others to have limbs amputated due to infection.. So how does one become infected? Well, the bacteria can enter the body through several ways.

If you enter into an infected area of water (salt water) and have cuts or open wounds on your skin, the bacteria may enter your body through the cuts. In addition to that, the deadly bacteria can also infect your bloodstream after consuming undercooked or raw seafood.

Therefore, medical professionals advise those who may want to eat raw seafood to be diligent when it comes to identifying where the seafood was harvested. If raw seafood is taken from bodies of water known to be infected with this flesh-eating bacteria, you should not consume the seafood.

In recent weeks, we've reported on the deadly bacteria being present in areas of the Gulf of America; thus, you should proceed with caution when eating anything from the Gulf. This isn't to discourage you, but rather to alert you to the potential dangers.

The Louisiana Department of Health says 20 people have been hospitalized with such infections this year, and four of them died.

Signs and Symptoms of Flesh-Eating Bacteria

• Fever.
• Intense pain around a wound occurs after the pain from the initial injury subsides.
• Skin around a wound that feels warm to the touch.
• Swelling and discoloration of skin around a wound that spreads quickly.
• Pain when you touch the nonswollen or red skin around the wound.

Treatment For Flesh-Eating Bacteria

Storng antibiotics are often prescribed to those who have this deadly disease, while in more severe cases, limbs may be amputated to prevent the spread of the bacteria throughout the body.

In recent years, doctors have found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help combat and heal areas of infection caused by flesh-eating bacteria.

So, until there is a clear understanding, remember to avoid the waters that are known to be infected with Vibrio vulnificus, and be very cautious when eating raw seafood like oysters.

This deadly bacterial threat should diminish as the warm waters of the Gulf cool down as winter approaches.