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Deadly flesh-eating bacteria is spreading to Europe's shores

2026-06-24 17:11:00, Sociale CNA

Deadly flesh-eating bacteria is spreading to Europe's shores

As climate change warms coastal waters in northern Europe, scientists say conditions are becoming increasingly favorable for a potentially deadly marine bacteria capable of causing severe wound infections, sepsis and amputations.

New research suggests that warm, low-salinity waters not only help Vibrio vulnificus spread, but may also increase the activity of genes linked to its ability to grow and cause disease.

What is Vibrio vulnificus and why is it dangerous?

V. vulnificus is a marine bacterium that thrives in warm, salty coastal waters, where it lives in symbiosis with microscopic algae called phytoplankton.

It is a close relative of the bacterium that causes cholera, although the two microbes cause very different diseases. While cholera is spread through contaminated water or food and causes severe diarrhea and vomiting, V. vulnificus is most dangerous when it enters the body through cuts or open wounds during swimming or other recreational activities in the sea.

In severe cases, the infection can cause necrotizing fasciitis, in which the tissue around the wound rapidly breaks down.

The bacteria can also enter the bloodstream, causing sepsis, and in some cases, patients require amputation of the affected limb.

The infection is fatal in 20-50% of cases. The elderly and people with weakened immune systems or liver disease are at greatest risk.

Could climate change increase Vibrio vulnificus infections?
Previous research has suggested that V. vulnificus infections are increasing in various parts of the world, including the eastern United States, where infections increased eightfold between 1988 and 2018.

The latest study, presented at ESCMID Global 2026 in April, focused on Denmark and the wider Nordic region, where cases have increased significantly over the past decade.





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