A Florida woman is speaking out about the dangers of flesh-eating bacteria after contracting it while boating with a small cut. Genevieve Gallagher said she’s lucky to be alive after contracting the rare but life-altering infection in 2025.

Flesh-Eating Bacteria Cases on the Rise

Florida has reported 14 cases of what’s known as “flesh-eating bacteria” this year. While it’s fairly rare, the infection can escalate quickly. Gallagher contracted Vibrio vulnificus while out on the water with her 8-year-old daughter and husband.

She had a cut when they went boating, and by Wednesday, everything started to go downhill. Her wound turned black, and she felt ill and was profusely sweating. Her husband took her to the emergency room, where she was unconscious for days.

Dr. Autumn Barnes, a family medicine physician with Health First, said this is a rare infection. “Flesh-eating bacteria is a bit of a misnomer. What we’re really talking about is different bacteria, specifically Vibrio vulnificus in this case, that can cause a serious infection called necrotizing fasciitis. Now, that can cause a lot of damage to your tissues really quickly,” Barnes said.

Gallagher warns people to stay vigilant, especially when engaging in water activities with open wounds. “Going to the beach for a day of fun is not worth it. If you have a cut on your leg, a mosquito bite that you scratched and it’s open, if you shaved your legs before you are going to the beach the next day, you are leaving those little microscopic openings for this bacteria to make its way in,” Gallagher said.

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.