31 in Florida infected by bacteria in salt water
This photo provided by Patty Konietzky shows her husband's foot of what they thought was a bug bite on Sept. 22, 2013, in Ormond Beach, Fla. Patty and her husband, Henry "Butch" Konietzky, went crabbing in the Halifax River near Ormond Beach in September. Butch developed a sore which was later confirmed to be vibrio vulnificus. The bacteria spread quickly in his body and he died 60 hours later. (AP Photo/Patty Konietsky)
This photo provided by Patty Konietzky shows her husband's foot of what they thought was a bug bite on Sept. 22, 2013, in Ormond Beach, Fla. Patty and her husband, Henry "Butch" Konietzky, went crabbing in the Halifax River near Ormond Beach in September. Butch developed a sore which was later confirmed to be vibrio vulnificus. The bacteria spread quickly in his body and he died 60 hours later. (AP Photo/Patty Konietsky)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — State health department officials say 31 people across Florida have been infected this year by a potentially deadly, yet common bacteria that lives in salt water — and 10 of those people have died.
But experts say the vast majority of people aren’t at risk of contracting vibrio vulnificus (vih-BREE’-oh VUHL’-nihf-ih-kus), which lives in warm salt water.
Vibrio is contracted one of two ways: by eating tainted shellfish or when an open wound comes in contact with bacteria in warm seawater.
Dr. James Oliver, a Vibrio expert and a University of North Carolina professor, says most of the people who die from the disease have compromised immune systems.
