Rare flesh-eating bacteria responsible for 5 deaths in the Tampa Bay area

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that normally lives in warm, brackish seawater and requires salt. Although infections are rare, there tend to be several cases of vibrio each year in Florida. The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is reporting 26 total cases in the state so far this year. Five people have died, all in the Tampa Bay area. Two deaths were reported in Hillsborough County, while Pasco, Polk, and Sarasota counties all reported one death.