Kyle Sooley-Brookings
Jul 31, 20191 min
So far this year there have been six cases of people contracting a flesh-eating disease in the Gulf of Mexico.
Three of the cases have been fatal.
The disease thrives in warm water and enters the body through a break in the skin.
Vibrio vulnificus is present in marine environments such as estuaries, brackish ponds, or coastal areas, V. vulnificus is related to V. cholerae, the causative agent of cholera.
Necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease, is an infection that results in the death of parts of the body's soft tissue.
It is a severe disease of sudden onset that spreads rapidly.
Symptoms include red or purple skin in the affected area, severe pain, fever, and vomiting.