A poisonous, flesh-eating bacterium, growing mainly in warm saltwater, has already killed two people and infected seven others this year in Florida, reported ABC News.
"People can get infected with Vibrio vulnificus when they eat raw shellfish," said Florida Health Department spokeswoman Mara Burger.
"Since it is naturally found in warm marine waters, people with open wounds can be exposed to Vibrio vulnificus through direct contact with seawater," she added.
Health officials noted that this kind of bacterium is rampant in the warm-weather months of May to October as it grows faster when exposed to temperatures between 68 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Infections due to Vibrio vulnificus do not spread directly from one person to another, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Serious threat is most likely to happen to people that have illnesses such as liver disease and weak immune systems.
When infected, some of the noticeable symptoms are: acute illness, swelling and redness of an open wound or skin, fever, low blood pressure and shock.
The CDC said infection from this flesh-eating bacterium is curable with antibiotics, but some serious cases may necessitate amputation of the affected limb.
Last year, according to the state health department, there were 32 cases reported of people infected by Vibrio vulnificus in Florida; seven of those people died.
