Well, this is not what you want to see…

Three East Coast states saw an increase in severe “flesh-eating” infections in 2023, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The increase in cases in New York, North Carolina, and Connecticut “occurred in the wake of a record heat wave in the United States,” the CDC said. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Above-average sea surface temperatures are also a contributing factor.

The bacterium, named Vibrio vulnificus, causes a “flesh-eating” infection and is found in undercooked raw seafood. Once in humans, it can cause gastrointestinal infections that can cause fever, watery diarrhea, vomiting, and even sepsis. (Related: Warning: Severe hurricane season looks set to arrive in 2024)

The causative bacteria are necrotizing fasciitiscan also enter the body through open wounds.

“While these cases reported in July and August cannot be attributed solely to the heat wave, the relationship between the incidence of vibriosis and environmental conditions is vibrio “Growth, resulting in increased water surface temperatures and decreased salinity, is well documented,” the CDC report added.

“V. vulnificus infections are expected to become more common as coastal water temperatures increase,” the CDC warns.

A total of 11 people between the ages of 37 and 84 were affected in 2023, five of whom died, three from septic shock. North Carolina had the highest number of infections with seven, followed by New York and Connecticut with two each.

CDC reports severe 'flesh-eating' infections linked to heat wave in eastern US https://t.co/xdca5NJIly

— Live Science (@LiveScience) February 3, 2024

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