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In the wake ofrecord - breaking heat wavesin the summer of 2023 , three East Coast states saw upticks in grievous , " flesh - eating " infection , a new report says .

The reputation concernsVibrio vulnificus , a deadly bacterial specie that live in coastal body of water . If the microbe enters an open wound , it can direct to a " flesh - eating " infection experience as necrotizing fasciitis . This is a severe , inflame infection that causes the fence tissue to quickly give way .

illustration of rod-shaped, green bacteria on a cloudy background

Cases of vibriosis, an infection caused by this pictured bacterium, are expected to rise along with average global temperatures.

If absorb — for example , in raw or undercooked seafood — the same bacteria can get gastrointestinal infection . This commonly guide to symptoms of watery diarrhoea , regurgitation and febrility , but it can also lead tosepsis , the utmost resistant response that can move on to aliveness - peril septic blow .

V. vulnificusis lie with to thrive in warm water , and between June and August 2023 , the U.S. know widespread heat wave and above - norm ocean Earth’s surface temperature . Around that clock time , in July and August , Connecticut , New York and North Carolina report a number of severeV. vulnificusinfections , according to a newMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) Thursday ( Feb. 1 ) .

Related : The link between climate change and ' flesh - eating ' bacterium

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" A far-famed feature film of these cases , beyond their knockout clinical outcomes , is that they occurred in the wake of criminal record - breaking U.S. heating plant Wave , " the report pronounce . The case ca n’t be assign solely to the heat waving , but the link between infections withVibriobacteria , likeV. vulnificus , and environmental weather that are favorable to the microbe ’s growth " is well - documented , " the report append .

The composition distinguish 11 compositor’s case ofV. vulnificusinfection , or vibriosis — seven in North Carolina , two in Connecticut and two in New York . The stirred people ranged from 37 to 84 years sure-enough . Five patients died in total , include three who die after experiencing septic shock . One extra patient role experienced septic blow but survived .

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3D computer illustration of the spherical bacteria, Streptococcus pyogenes, or group-A Streptococcus, bacteria.

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Six of the infected people were likely unwrap toV. vulnificusvia marine or estuarine water along the U.S. Atlantic coast between July 7 and Aug. 22 , 2023 . Two extra cases likely stemmed from the microbe entering a cut on the person ’s hand while they deal raw seafood during intellectual nourishment prep .

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One case was tied to the soul eating raw oysters . In another , the somebody reported both eating in the raw oysters and having a injury exposed to brackish pee — a intermixture of salty and impudent water — so the precise route of exposure could n’t be make up one’s mind .

" As coastal piddle temperatures increase , V. vulnificusinfections are gestate to become more common , " the account states . " Persons can take step to prevent sickness by avoiding wound contact with brackish water system , salt water , and raw seafood , and by thoroughly cook oysters and other seafood before eat . "

This clause is for informational intention only and is not have in mind to provide medical advice .

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A multi-colored microscope image of tissue infected with nocardiosis. The image is mainly pink and purple in color.

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa as seen underneath a microscope.

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