The so-called "flesh-eating bacteria" cause necrotizing fasciitis, a rapid tissue destruction that can require immediate amputation. Two primary species are now in focus: Vibrio vulnificus, from warm seawater, and group A Streptococcus pyogenes, which spreads person-to-person.
Vibrio infections are rising sharply along U.S. coasts. Florida reported record cases in 2024 after Hurricane Helene, with 82 infections and 19 deaths. The trend continued into 2025. A 77-year-old Mississippi man died in July after a scratch from a boat trailer.
In Asia, Japan is experiencing a record-breaking surge of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), with 977 cases in the first half of 2024 alone.
Europe faces its own threat from Vibrio. A hot 2018 summer tripled infections in Baltic nations. The Mediterranean is especially vulnerable as sea temperatures rise faster than the global average. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control uses satellite data to create real-time risk maps for areas like the Black and North Seas.
Epidemiologists confirm a direct link: warmer waters expand the bacteria's habitat. This is a health crisis with major economic implications for tourism, the Mediterranean's top industry. The global incidence of Vibrio infections has risen 84% since the early 2000s, signaling a structural threat.