Massachusetts health officials warn about potentially deadly bacteria in coastal waters

Health officials in Massachusetts are warning the public about a potentially deadly bacteria in coastal waters after a person was infected.

The state’s Department of Public Health issued a warning Wednesday about Vibrio bacteria following what it called “an extremely rare case” of Vibrio vulnificus infection. Officials said the person was most likely exposed to it while at a beach on Buzzards Bay.

“Vibrio bacteria normally live in warm, salt or brackish waters along the Atlantic coast,” Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement. “Heat waves and above-average water surface temperatures create favorable conditions for Vibrio bacteria to grow, making May through October generally the peak season for these bacteria.”

About a dozen species of Vibrio can cause illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of an infection include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills.

Some Vibrio infections can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, or “flesh-eating disease,” the CDC said.

Deaths from “flesh-eating” bacteria have been on the rise in some Southeastern states, including Florida and Louisiana.

Goldstein said people with open wounds and those who eat contaminated shellfish can develop an infection. Sometimes, the infection can spread through the bloodstream and cause severe or life-threatening illness, he said.

According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection die.

In the last several years, there have been only seven confirmed cases of the infection among Massachusetts residents. Four were most likely exposed to Vibrio vulnificus in Massachusetts, the health department said.