A rare but deadly bacteria found almost exclusively in seawater has sickened three people in Louisiana.
René Olier, 65, went fishing June 5 just south of Cat Island. The next morning he woke up with chills. A short time later he was diagnosed him vibrio vulnificus and doctors had to amputate his right arm.
Vibrio vulnificus is an infection of the skin when open wounds are exposed to warm seawater; these infections may lead to skin breakdown and ulceration.
Known to most as a flesh-eating bacterium people who are immuno-compromised are at higher risk for invasion of the organism into the bloodstream and potentially fatal complications. Bloodstream infections are fatal about 50 percent of the time.
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH) data indicates there are about 10 to 15 cases per year in the state. The majority get the infection from skin contact with sea water (80 percent) or consumption of raw seafood (20 percent).
"For healthy people infections are extremely rare," said Dr. Raoult Ratard.
Ratard, the state's epidemiologist, said but in severe cases, even healthy people are at risk of developing complications or death.
"For reasons we still don't understand, some severe cases move so quickly, there's nothing you can do for the person, healthy or not," Ratard explained.
In 2013, there were 11 confirmed cases reported in Louisiana, and one death. A year earlier, in 2012, 12 cases were reported, resulting in one death.
In the days and months following Hurricane Katrina, about 15-20 people were treated for several different infections related to bacteria.
"The problem with Katrina you had a lot of people who were not healthy, and waded in flood waters from the sea that trapped them in the city," said Ratard.
Ratard said far more common flesh-eating bacterias people don't think about, like strep and MRSA are far more serious, because they affect a lot more people.
Infection with vibrio vulnificus can lead to development of necrotizing fasciitis and primary septicemia, and also occurs mostly in immuno-compromised victims, diseases such as hepatic disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, and adrenal insufficiency.
Warning from Department of Wildlife & Fisheries