Dead Suffolk resident tests positive for vibriosis, rare bacteria found in shellfish, seawater

A Suffolk County resident who died was found to have a rare bacterial infection tied to people eating raw or undercooked seafood or exposing a wound to seawater, state officials announced Wednesday.

The individual, who was not identified, had vibriosis, which can cause a breakdown in skin and ulcers, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in a news release. 

It is not yet clear if the person died from the infection or if they came in contact with it in the waters around New York or another location, officials said.

New Yorkers who have wounds should avoid swimming in "warm seawater," state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement. In addition, he said people with compromised immune systems should avoid handling or eating raw seafood because it could carry the bacteria.

Long Island scientists said the bacteria can flourish in warm, slightly salty water.

"This bacteria is known to thrive at high temperatures and brackish, low-salinity environments," said Christopher Gobler, director of the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, who has tested for other species of the bacteria. "Given the summer heat and the repeated, tropical deluges of rainfall that have driven down salinities here, its recent emergence does make sense."

State health officials would not provide additional information about the person who died or comment further.

Three cases of vibriosis were reported in Connecticut in July, including two people who died. Officials from the Connecticut State Department of Public Health said all three patients were between the ages of 60 and 80 and were hospitalized.

One of those patients said they had eaten raw oysters from an “out-of-state establishment” and two had been exposed to salt or brackish water in Long Island Sound, according to the health department. The patients also had open cuts or wounds that officials said likely led to the infection.

“While rare, the vibrio bacteria has unfortunately made it to this region and can be extraordinarily dangerous,” Hochul said in a statement. “As we investigate further, it is critical that all New Yorkers stay vigilant and take responsible precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe."

About 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths a year in the U.S. are caused by vibriosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and chills.

Several different species of bacteria — in this case the Vibrio vulnificus — can cause vibriosis. The bacteria occur naturally in some coastal waters and tend to increase during the warmer months of May to October.

Gobler said prior deaths have typically occurred in the South.

A recent study in the journal "Scientific Reports," suggested that climate change and an increasing elderly population could lead to more Vibrio vulnificus infections in the coming years.

“It’s not common but this is not unheard of. It’s been around for decades,” said Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of public health and epidemiology at Northwell Health. “It’s an aggressive organism and it tends to cause bad skin and soft tissue infections, particularly in people with cirrhosis of the liver and those that are immunosuppressed when they're exposed to seawater that's contaminated.”

People can become infected by bathing in contaminated water, especially if they are in one of the higher-risk groups and have an open wound.

“It's not this huge threat that's going to kill hundreds of people in New York or anywhere else,” Farber said. “But, sporadically, it certainly can cause people to become sick and can certainly kill a selected group of people who are very vulnerable.”

Dr. Susan Donelan, medical director of Healthcare Epidemiology at Stony Brook Medicine, said they see a handful of cases each season, but have not seen one so far this year.

“You want to stay out of the brackish water where there is a mix of freshwater and saltwater and where the water hasn’t turned over much,” she said. “I’ve seen patients who were fishing along the shore and they cut their hand while baiting their hook and they don’t stop to wash their hands or clean them.”

Donelan said people who have injuries and have been in water that could be contaminated should see a physician right away if the wound becomes red, hot and tender.

“These can evolve quickly,” she said.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.